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THE
BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
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THE
liirlibecfe0 of »estmotlanti
AND
THEIR DESCENDANTS.
BY
ROBERT BIRKBECK, F.S.A.
Privately Printed for the Author by Mitchell and Hughi
1900,
PREFACE.
ii2?7G2
TN 1886, before issuing the patent of Baronetcy to my brother Edward,
-■- the Home Office required production of the Arms from the Heralds'
College as proof that he was Armigerus, and the College of Arms insisted
on legal proof that he was descended from Thomas Birkbeck of Hornby,
to whom the Grant of Arms was made in 151 5. We had all used these
Arms in the belief that we were entided to them ; and in the attempt to
prove that we were right in so doing, I caught the incurable disease of
Genealogy. Major Robert Stanfeld Birkbeck had taken great interest in
the pedigree, but died before I began to work at it. John Birkbeck of
Anley lent me all his brother's papers on the subject — a great help in my
earlier researches. For fourteen years I have tried to penetrate the maze,
and as it appears hopeless to expect ever to reach the end, I have written
this Sketch from the mass of notes which I had collected.
I know well that engrossing as the subject may be to the writer, it
can have very little interest except to those of the name in question, probably
not even to them ; but perhaps in years to come, a desire to know some-
what of his ancestors might cause one of the family to be infected with the
Genealogical craze, and if so, I think these notes may earn his gratitude
by saving him from searching over again the same dusty old records.
I hope I have resisted all temptation to " make pedigree," and I believe
that in no instance is anything assumed if not proved, unless expressly stated
as merely possible or probable.
vi PREFACE.
I have been greatly indebted to many for kind help, and especially to
several of the Westmorland Clergy, who, by copying long extracts from
their registers, have saved me much trouble and expense.
Some explanation may be well of the dates with two years, as
A.D. 1619-20. Until 1753 the Ecclesiastical and Legal year commenced
on 25 March, so any day between i January and 25 March was dated
the previous year. To avoid confusion the two years are therefore
mentioned thus : i March, 1698-9, 1698 being the legal year, and the date
used at the time, while 1699 was the historical year, according to modern
computation. The old style was changed by Statute on i January, 1753.
In the early registers of the Society of Friends, their practice of using the
ordinal numbers for the months instead of their names often creates
confusion ; for instance, March, which is now in the phraseology of Friends
the 3rd month, was before 1753 called ist month, as the year then com-
menced. Thus the marriage of William Birkbeck, 11 November, 1703,
was entered 9th mo. iith; the birth of his son John, 16 February, 1723,
was entered 12th mo. i6th of the preceding year, and therefore here described
as 16 February, 1722-3.
tin
i
THE
BiRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
rr^HE ARMS were granted to Thomas Birkbeck of Carlisle in the
-*- seventh year of Henry VIII. (a.d. 15 15), it is said "for his brave
defence against the Scots ;" but though this may have been the case, I can
find no authority for it, nor have I found any reference to his having been
engaged in any Scotch expedition previous to 1515, although he vv^as so,
subsequently in 1523. He may possibly have fought at Flodden Field on
September 9th, 15 13, and received the arms on that account. A letter
addressed in 1833 to William Birkbeck of Settle, signed by Thomas
Proctor, states that through his grandfather, whose mother was a daughter
of Thomas Birkbeck of Ingleton Fells (died 1715), he came into possession
of a quantity of Birkbeck papers, among which was " a coat of arms of the
Birkbeck family in a very mutilated state from age : the patent stated that
the arms were granted by Henry VIII. to Thomas Birkbeck, Governor
of Carlisle, for his brave defence of the city against the Scots, or words
nearly to this effect, and bearing date May loth, 15 15, signed Thomas
Wriothesley; this was in 1808. I left the arms with a friend to forward
to Mr. Jos. Nailer of the Heralds' College. My friend sent them by a
person who never delivered them ; he is since dead, and I fear they are
lost."
2 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Mr. Proctor appears to have been a genealogist, and left a quantity of
notes written to prove his descent from Thomas Birkbeck of Carlisle, but I
believe he was quite mistaken in this belief- ; he seems to have jumped at
conclusions without facts to prove them.
There must, however, have been some foundation for the story, and
there appears to have been another copy of the patent, for when Dugdale
certified the pedigree of Thomas Birkbeck of Hornby on March 22nd,
1 664-5, ^^^ antiquary Machell was with the Herald at Appleby, and thinking
there was a mistake in the arms as entered by Dugdale, he made the
following entry in his diary : —
Appleby, 23 Martij, 1664, Mr. Dugd.
Memorandum. Mr. William Birbeck, son of George Birbeck of Kirkby
Stephen, &" fellow of St. John's Col. in Cambridge, has a patent, or a copy of a
patent, wh. the arms which was granted to one Birbeck of Cariile: of (may be)
the beginner of this family. I should see it 1^ know whence he had it.^
The official docket in the College of Arms is as follows : — " Cumb.
Birkbeck, A. : Cheq. O. S. in chief 2 Lyons heads er. in base a Boars
Head G. Crest : A branch of Green Accors <^ upon that a Rose hung
in S pr. To Tho. Birkbeck of Carlisle pr. Wriothesly, Garter, and
Young, Norroy, 10"' May 15 15."
Another crest from a MS. Alphabet of Arms in the College of Arms,
viz. : "A Bow bent in | or standing in a bush of Hazels vt. the nutts
appearing out of the Husks O."
Dugdale's Visitation of W^estmorland and Cumberland,- a.d. 1664, at
the College of Arms, C. 39, fo. 6, certifying the pedigree of Thomas
Birkbeck of Hornby, March 22nd, 1664, figures his arms as shewn in the
annexed cut.
1 Machell's MS. History of the Borders, vol. v., p. 39 (Library of Dean and Chapter,
Carlisle).
- EDN Alphabet of Arras, at College of Arms.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Machell, the Westmorland antiquarian, who was a cousin of the Hornby
Birkbecks, writing in 1664, quotes Dugdale's Visitation: '" The Arms,
Arg. a Fess chequy or, <%? sab. Between three Lyons heads errased. Gules,'
but I believe this is a mistake in ye tracing it, for in all their Arms att
hornby, the Fess is co'ntercompone, or ^ azure, he bore 3 Lyons heads ^c.
& sometimes he bore 2 Lyons heads in chiefe <^ a F Bores head in bass :
which I have seen confirmed in Visit. West. <^ Cumb. circa temp. Hen. 8."
In Dwnn's " Visitation of Wales and part of the Marches between the
years 1586 and 1613," vol. i., p. 191, is the pedigree of "Syr Hylbert
Byrbeck, Vickar off Lamffae in Pembrokeshire, 1608. He bereth Argent
a ffes check Or an G. : 2 leions hiets erasyd G. : in bas powynts a Bors
hieds kopied G. — o duw nad gamwedd, O God, Prevent error." Syr
Hylbert was certainly the Rev. Cuthbert Birkbeck, son of Edward Birkbeck
of Hornby (fide post, p. 20). The prefix "Sir" was formerly generally
applied to clergymen who had not taken a University degree.
4 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, a.d. 1666,^ certifies the arms of
Thomas Birkbeck of Sheffield, and of Peter Birkbeck, Rector of Castleford,
CO. York, as grandsons of " Thomas Birkbeck of Orton in Com. West-
morl., of the family of Morton Tinmouth in Com. Palat. Dunelm,"
Argent, a fess between two lions' heads erased in chief, and a boar's
head in base gules. Thomas Birkbeck of Orton was not descended from
the Morton Tynmouth family, nor I believe from any of the Hornby
Birkbecks [fide post, p. 43), but it seems to have been a point of honour
with the Birkbecks to claim that they were descended from the Hornby
family.
The arms at Headlam on the shield in the fireplace are described
in " The Antiquities of Gainford," by J. R. Walbran, p. 107 (I omitted
to copy them myself), as " a fess compony between three lions'
heads erased, a crescent for difference," the crest being broken off the
shield ; and the four shields in the stained glass removed from the window
at the same place are all of them, a fess compony between three lions'
heads erased gules. A silver cup given in 1609 by Thomas Birkbeck
of Hornby to his daughter-in-law Anna, the wife of Henry Birkbeck of
Headlam (described on p. 23), has the arms engraved, a fess compony between
three lions' heads. The arms of his cousin Thomas Birkbeck of Morton
Tynmouth on a brass in Gainford Church (^ride p. 20) in memory of his wife,
A.D. 1668, were : Argent, a fess compony or and sable, between two lions'
' College of Arms, C. 40, 221 B.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 5
heads erased in chief, and a boar's head in base. Crest : A hazel branch
fructed proper debruised by a bow bent in pale (vide cut).
In C. 14, fo. 62, Visitation of Counties Northampton and Rutland,
A.D. 1619, at the College of Arms, occurs the following match anterior to
20 Edward IV. : —
Richardus Andrewe de Sawbridge=pKatherina tilia et heres Joh'is Berbcck ,
in com. Warw. de com. Ebor.
Tho. Andrewe, emit manerium de Charwelton a° 30 Edw. IV.
The arms allowed for this lady in the scheme of quarterings at the
base of the pedigree are : — " Sable, a fess chequey argent and of the ist,
between 3 Lions' heads erased or " (vide cut, p. 6).
In Augustine Vincent's MS., College of Arms, vol. xliv., fo. 68, the
arms given to the above Katherina Berbeck are, " Sable, on a chief or three
niascles of the first," but this would appear to have been a mistake.
Apparently therefore there had been an earlier grant of arms before 151 5,
the son having bought the Manor of Charwelton in 1480-1 (but this is the
only trace I found of it), though the arms are similar to those granted 1 5 1 5 ;
the blazoning is quite different.
Who John Birkbeck of Yorkshire was I do not know. There was a
John Burback, Professor of Sacred Theology and Vice-Chancellor of the
6 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
University of Oxford a.d. 1435-6, but I have no proof that either he
or another John Burback, Prebendary of Lincohi, ob. 1402, were
Birkbecks.
From Warburton's "Arms of Yorkshire Families" (Lansd. MSS. 908,
British Museum) it appears that the Birkbecks of Osgoodby, co. York, used
the arms (Warburton was Somerset Herald 1720 — 1759)- In 1741
Charles Birkbeck of York had a freehold at Osgoodby which he inherited
from his father, Dr. Christopher Birkbeck of York, " a very eminent
surgeon of this city, who died a.d. 1717" (M.I. All Saints, York). He
was the son of Edward Birkbeck of Aldborough, who died 1674.
In a MS., "Arms C," p. 123, in the College of Arms, Dublin Castle,
are the arms of Birckbeck : " Ar. a fess compony Or and az. between 2
lions' heads in chief and a boar's head in base Gu. ;" but the MS. is no'
official, nor is there any mention of locality.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
The Settle family have long used the arms with the fess chequy
between three hons' heads ; and as crest the nut-branch and
bow {lide cut), with the motto " Regi semper fidelis "; while
the sons of Dr. George Birkbeck also used the branch of
acorns with the rose, and the motto "Fide sed cui vide." In
Norfolk we used the nut-branch without the bow, and no motto ; since
1886 of course the arms and crest granted that year as below.
The arms seem to have been generally and freely used without the
slightest right, and probably with a sincere belief on the part of the wearer
that he was descended from the Hornby Birkbecks, who alone had the
right to bear the arms. All the Settle Birkbecks, with the Norfolk branch,
had for long used the arms in perfect faith that they were entitled to
them, but on the patent of Baronetcy being made out in 1886, the College
of Arms required proof of the descent from Thomas Birkbeck of Hornby.
This I soon satisfied myself was not the
case, and fresh arms were granted to the
descendants of John Birkbeck of Lynn,
my grandfather ; they are as close as
could be allowed to the original arms
[vide Frontispiece).
Arms : Argent, a fess chequy az.
and or cottised of the second, between
three lions' heads erased gules, in the
centre chief point a bow palewise ppr.
Crest : Upon a rock in front of a
hazel branch, slipped and fructed, a bow
palewise, all ppr.
Granted in 1886 to the descendants
of John Birkbeck of Lynn Regis.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
rT-\HE NAME OF BIRKBECK has from an early date been of very
-*- frequent occurrence in the records of Cumberland, Westmorland,
and Yorkshire. The Birkbeck lordship, from which the family name was
derived, is chiefly in the parish of Orton, although a portion is within the
parishes of Shap and Crosby Ravensworth in the county of Westmorland.
it is now known as Birkbeck Fells, an extensive and wild mountainous
district watered by the Birkbeck — a stream which, rising in the upper part
of the Fell near Wasdale Pike, falls into the river Lune' close to Tebay
Station, on the main line of the London and North-Western Railway.
Both lordship and river are several times mentioned in the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries. The course of the latter was described under the
name " Bibeck River " in a Boundary Roll of the Orton and Raisbeck Manors
at the time of the division of the Manors {I'ide p. 39), witnessed by
Sir Michael de Harclay, who lived in the reigns of Henry IIL and
Edward L The roil is no longer in existence, but is stated by Dr.
Burns, in the well-known " History and Antiquities of Westmorland and
Cumberland,"^ to have been in the possession of Edward Birkbeck of
Coatflat Hall, Orton, and to have been copied by the Rev. Thomas
1 "True it is," as Drayton sa3'S, " that the destinies assign such honour to this river
[the Lune] that she christens in her course a County Palatine — ■
' Yet though she be a flood such glory that doth gain
In that the British crown doth to her state pertain,
Yet Westmorland alone not only gives her birth,
But for her greater good the kind Westmerian earth
Clear Burbeck her bequeathes, and Barrow to attend
Her grace, till she her name to Lancaster doth lend.' "*
- " History and Antiquities of Westmorland and Cumberland" (Burns and Nicholson),
vol. i., p. 486.
* Article on Westmorland in "Quarterly Review," April. 1867.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 9
Machell, Rector of Klrkby Thore from 1677 to 1698, "the father
of all Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquaries."^ The name of
the stream shews the derivation very clearly — the Birch Brook, " birk "
being of course Scotch for " birch," and " beck " a north-country and
Scandinavian word for "brook"; the streams running towards the west
being generally called " becks," while those which run to the east have
more often the Scotch designation " burns." The Scandinavians were
much more firmly settled on the west than on the east coast of the north
of England.
Even had there been Blrkbecks of sufficient position to have been
mentioned in Doomsday Book, the survey did not include Northumberland,
Durham, Cumberland, or Westmorland (although parts of the Barony
of Kendal were taken with Lancashire), as those counties had been
devastated with fire and sword by the Normans, and being waste and
uncultivated were doubtless considered worthless. Cumberland and most
of Westmorland, moreover, were ceded to the Scots by William the
Conqueror.
The name was spelt in many different ways, the letter i) being constantly
used in place of z, more especially perhaps in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. We find during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, as place
names in Westmorland, Birkbeck, Birkbek, Berkebek, Bibeck, Berburn,
Bercburn, Berckburn, — all, I believe, being the Birkbeck Lordship. Burbank
is probably a distinct place, although I think I have found it used as a
personal name for a Birkbeck. As personal names the spelling also varied
very much, as Burbacke, Bychebek of Berburn, Berkebek, Berlebek, and
Berkeley are all used for one and the same person. In the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries we find " Birtbet alias Birkebek," Birtbeck and
Birkebecke in the same family at the same time, Barbyke and Birkebecke
1 Chancellor Ferguson, '■' Transactions of Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian
Society," vol. iv,, p. i.
10 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
for the same person, as also Birkbecke, Birkebecke, Byrkbek, Byrkebek,
Byrkbeck, Byrkebeck, Byrckbecke, and Barkebeke, all for one individual.
Later on Birbeck or Burbeck is often found, so the name would appear
to have been pronounced, as at present, without sounding the k. Certainly
this was the case in 1702, as in a Chancery Deposition^ by Catterick
Birkbeck of Hornby his name in the heading is correctly written over an
erasure ; in all other places in his evidence in this suit the spelling is
Burbeck, but the signature is Birkbeck.
I regret to say that the earliest records of the name I have found seem
to shew that in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries they were a
turbulent family, although probably not more so than their neighbours.
In 13 18 " Willielmus de Birkebek as one of the adherents of Thomas, Earl
of Lancaster, obtains pardon by consent of Parliament for all felonies and
trespasses committed by him up to the 7"' August then last past ; the
robbery of the Cardinal Legates only excepted. Tested at York i Nov.
12 Ed. IL'"
In August, 13 I 7, the Cardinals John de Ossa and Luke de Fieschi,
having received a commission from the Pope (John XXII.), with full
powers to settle p^ace throughout Great Britain, set out from London to
Scotland, but when on their road from York to Durham they were surprised
near Darlington by a party under Sir Gilbert de Middleton, Keeper of the
Castle of Mitford, and Sir Walter Selby, and robbed of their money, goods,
and horses. The Earl of Lancaster, who had rebelled against his cousin
Edward II., made his peace with the King at a Parliament assembled at
York 20 October, 1318, and his adherents were pardoned, the sacrilegious
robbery only excepted, but again rebelling, he was finally vanquished
with Roger de Clifford by Andrew de Hercla at Burrough Bridge in
Yorkshire in 1322 and beheaded; Roger de Clifford being pardoned as
1 Exche<iuer Depositions, i and 2 Anne (Yorkshire), Hilary, No. 10.
" Rot. I\n-1. 12 Edward II., p. i, m. 16.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. ii
William de Birkebek had previously been : the latter may have been an
" adherent " of the Earl of Lancaster as a follower of Roger de Clifford —
there certainly was some connection between the Cliffords and the Birkbecks
a century or two later.
The Assize Rolls also for the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
mention Birkbecks in a somewhat unpleasant manner ; and later on they
shewed little regard for game-laws in their love of sport : a.d. i 584, " Thomas
Birkbeck of Ripley, co. York, with others in a very riotous and outrageous
manner assembled with long pike-staves, swords, and daggers, did take,
kill, and carry away divers conies " from Kellinghall Moor in the forest of
Knaresbro.^ Although Edward Birkbeck in acquiring Hornby covenanted
with the Earl of Cumberland that " he should leave his deer unmolested
or slain," yet in 1566 the Earl was compelled to proceed against Henry
Birkbeck of Hornby, Gentleman (a younger son of Edward), Thomas
Byrkbeck, Gentleman, of Hartley Castle, and others, " for forcibly entering
and hunting in Plaintiff's park at Brougham without leave, and taking
Plaintiff's deer, viz., one buck, three does, and two fawns, to the damage of
£^0 ;"" and a hundred years later (in 1677) William Atkinson at Lowther
writes to Daniel Fleming that he thinks he has discovered the deerstealers
of 13 September in Lowther Park, and names Mr. Birkbeck as ringleader.^
The pugnacious spirit shewn by the marauding and killing in the thirteenth,
fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries seems during the two following centuries
to have found a vent in the law-courts. I have waded through and partly
copied the pleadings in 145 law-suits at the Record Office, and doubtless
could have found many more in a longer search. There is an immense
amount of most interesting genealogical information to be found in these
1 Attorney-General v. Thomas Birkbeck and others, Duchy of Lancaster, Elizabeth,
vol. 88, A. 38.
^ De Banco Roll, Easter, 8 Elizabeth, m. 25, 5.
s MSS. of S. H. Le Fleming (Historical Manuscripts' Commission, xii., part vii.,
P-7)-
c 2
12 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
old cases ; they sometimes recite family history for generations back. But
we may hope that, possibly from Qiiaker influence, the family have of later
years been less addicted to litigation, as I have only found one single
law-suit to which a Birkbeck was a party since they went to Settle, and
even in that he was not directly responsible ; a Hornby suit, however,
dragged on to 1743.
( 13 )
BIRK BECKS OF HORNBY.
The two most prominent families of the Birkbecks were those of Hornby
and Orton ; the former were descended from
THOMAS BYRKEBEKE of Carlisle, who is said to have been
Governor of that city, but I can find no good authority for this, although
he was certainly a man of some position ; indeed from Machell's account,
written in the latter half of the seventeenth century (vide p. 35), it would
appear that his ancestors had for at least five generations married into very
leading families in Westmorland, and probably that Thomas Byrkebeke
himself had married a daughter of Lancaster of Sockbrldge, a descendant of
Ivo de Talebois, who was granted the Barony of Kendal by William the
Conqueror. William de Talebois, by licence of Henry II., took the name
of de Lancastre. Sockbridge was near Hornby.
The cut shews a lion's head instead of the boar's head in the base ;
the quarterings of the second and third are those of Lancaster of Sockbridge.
The cut is taken from the "History of Galnford," in which parish his grand-
son Henry owned Headlam [vide p. 22).
14 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Thomas Byrkebeke owned lands in the city of Carlisle,' including
the Manor of Bochardby," as well as a property in the parish of Kirkby
Thore. The grant of the arms to him in 151 5 [vidt p. 2) is the earliest
notice of his name I have discovered and, as before stated, this is said
to have been for " his brave defence against the Scots." He is mentioned
as one of the captains in Sir Thomas CliiFord's retinue in the "names of
the persons who went into Scotland at this last raid" in 1523 ;'' he was
" absent " in " the names of all the gentlemen within the shyre of
Westm'land" a.d. 1526 ;"* and he was one of the jury on Lord Dacre's
trial at Carlisle a.d. 1534.'
From a copy of a charter in the Bodleian it would appear that Thomas
Byrkebeke had before 1528 purchased, in conjunction with Christopher
and James Crackenthorp, a property in Brampton from Thomas Lancaster,
the father-in-law of his son Edward. The translation of the charter is as
follows : —
Carta Cristabelle de Lancastre. To all to whom this present writing shall
come, Cristabeila de Lancastre, spinster, greeting in the Lord. Whereas I, the
said Cristabeila, have and hold one tenement with appurtenances in Brampton, ot
which same tenement with appurtenances the reversion then falls {spectat) to
'lliomas Lancaster iny brother when it shall happen after my death, w hich same
tenement Christofer Crackenthorp, Thomas Byrkbeke, and James Crackenthorp
lately purchased from my aforesaid brother Thomas Lancaster and his heirs. Be
it known that I, the said Cristabeila, have returned to the said Christofer Cracken-
thorpe, Thomas Byrkebeke, and James Crackenthorpe concerning the aforesaitl
reversion, and by the payment of one silver penny. In witness whereof I have
set my seal to this present writing. Dated 7 day of April, 19 Hen. VIII.''
' Chancery Depositions, Elizabeth — Charles I., B. 58, 19 November 4 Edward \'l.
- " An Accompt of the most considerable Estates and Families in the County of
Cumberland, by Jno. Deuton " (Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Societv),
p. 103.
^ State Papers, Henry VIIL, vol. iii., part ii., 3410.
^ Cotton MSS., Calig., fo. 193, British Museum.
■"' State Papers, Henry VHI., vol. vii., 963.
" Dodsworth MSS., Ixx., 2>3 verso, Bodleian Library.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 15
Thomas Byrkebeke was living in 1536-7, as Lord Maxwell
vvrote to him and three other " Deputies to my Lord of Cumberland ;"^
no doubt he was a Deputy-Lieutenant for Cumberland. He died
before 1550, and probably before 1543, having had two sons, Henry
and Edward.
HENRY BYRKEBEKE, the eldest son, married Elizabeth Highmore.
The Highmores were an old fimily at Bassenthwaite in Cumberland.
Bishop Nicolson's Visitation in i 702 mentions three Highmore inscriptions
in Bassenthwaite Church, without dates, but in old characters, one of which
was, " Hie est positus Robertus de Hehmor cujus anime propitietur
Deus." Henry Byrkebeke died before his father, and some time before
1550, when his only daughter Elizabeth, who had married Christopher
Symson, brought a suit against her uncle Edward Byrkebeke, proving
that the deeds of settlement and entail of property in Carlisle and Kirkby
There, which had been settled by Thomas Byrkebeke on his eldest son's
marriage, were burned by Edward Byrkebeke and Elizabeth, the widow of
Henry, on the re-marriage of the latter to John Brougham of Brougham.^
The first marriage had been " according to the laws of Holy Church,"
therefore was before the Reformation. One of the witnesses to the signing
of the settlement lived at Bassenthwaite. The burning must have taken
place a considerable time before 1550, as it is stated that "the witnesses to
the deed were then very old and sickly."
The second son, EDWARD BYRKEBECKE of Hornby, co.
Westmorland, appears to have succeeded his father before 1543, and to
have been living in Westmorland, as his name appears with " 2 horse " in
"a list of the Gentlemen of the County called out by Sir Thomas Wharton
upon some further service of the Borders (34 Henry VIIL a.d. 1543) ;
which shews who were the principal Gentlemen of that time subject to
1 Cal. State Papers, Henry \'III., vol. xii., part i., 121.
- Chancery Depositions, Elizabeth — Charles I., B. ^S, 19 November 4 Edward VI,
1 6 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Border Service."^ The " results of a forray " in that year, 1543, from 2 July
to 17 November, no doubt the one in which Edward Byrkebecke was
engaged, is thus computed in Haines' State Papers, pp. 51 — 54 : —
Towns, Towers, Stedes (farmsteads), Barnckyns (the out-
wards of a Castle, containing the barns, stables, etc.),
Parish Churches, Baste) Houses (monasteries or hospitals)
cast down or burned . . . . . . 192
Scots slain 403
Prisoners taken . . . . . . . . 816
Nolt (horned cattle) taken 10,386
Sheep 12,492
Nags and Geldings ........ 1296
Goats 200
Bolls of Corn 890
In sight (household furniture), not reckoned.
No wonder that the Scotch forays were popular in the Border counties
when they afforded such plunder !
He was also present at a muster at Howecarle (? Howgill Castle in
Kirkby Thore parish) 20 February, 1558-9, with —
Light Horseman, furnished ......
Bowman ditto ......
Footmen, furnished with Jacks or Stel Cootes and Stel Capps
Bows . 7
Ditto ditto Bills . 6
and was then described as " Gentleman of the Parish of Brougham."^
He married before 1 549^ Jane, eldest daughter and coheiress of
Thomas Lancaster* of Brampton, co. Westmorland. (Her name is spelt
1 " History of Cumberland and Westmorland " (Burn and Nicholson), vol. i., fo. 51.
~ " State Papers " (Domestic), Elizabeth, 1559, vol. ii., p. ^6.
3 Feet of Fines, Westmorland, Michaelmas 3 Edward VI.
* Thomas Lancaster had three daughters : the eldest married Edward Birkbeck ; the
second, Bridget, married John Backhouse ; and the youngest, Elizabeth, married Gilbert
Wharton of Kirkby Thore; we shall see later that one of the Orton Birkbecks married
one of her descendants.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 17
Joan in three cases/ but her will, dated 10 December, 1599, and directing
her burial at Brougham, is signed Jane.) In 1552 he exchanged the third
part of the Manor of Brampton,- which he held by right of his wife, with
Henry, Earl of Cumberland, for the estate of Hornby and Udfoot, entailed
on his heirs male, and held by homage at a yearly rent of £6, and paying
on every death one gelding of the price of £^, and a cast of merlins, or
three crowns of gold.-'
Edward Birkbeck re-settled, a.d. 1550, on Elizabeth Symson, the
daughter of his deceased eldest brother, the properties of which he had
taken possession after the burning of the settlement deeds.*
He died before 1593,^ and was buried at St. Ninian's, Brougham,'^
having had seven sons and three daughters : —
Thomas {i-ide infra). Elioner, married .... Lough.
Henry (p. 19). Barbaric, married Mungo Scott.
Richard (p. 19). Elizabeth, married Ninian Middleton.
Ambrose (p. 20).
Cuthbert (p. 20).
Edward (p. 21).
Henry (p. 21).
The eldest son, THOMAS BYRKBECK' of Hornby, succeeded to
all his father's manors and lands in Cumberland and Westmorland. He
married Joan, daughter and coheiress of Ambrose Lancaster, the fourth son of
1 Feet of Fines, Westmorland, Michaelmas 3 Edward VI., Michaelmas 6 Edward
VI., and Michaelmas Elizabeth.
- Notes of Fines, Michaelmas 6 Edward VI.
^ Inq. post mortem of Edward Birkbeck (the grandson of the above), I. P.M. Misc.
9 Charles I., part ii., 138.
•* Feet of Fines, Cumberland, 2 and 3 Philip and Mary, packet v.
^ Feet of Fines, Cumberland, Easter 35 Elizabeth, packet xxxviii.
* Will of his widow, dated 10 December, 1599; proved April, 1601.
' It was the custom in Cumberland and Westmorland to christen the eldest son hy
the name of his grandfather, and this is still the case in Norway.
1 8 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Lancelot Lancaster of Sockbridge. She was living at the time of his death
" in old age." He added considerably to his landed possessions, but except
in these purchases I have found but few references to his name. He was
one of the Commissioners for the Inq. post mortem of George, 3rd Earl
of Cumberland, ad. 1605. From his will, dated 24 September, 1608, and
proved 27 February, 1609-10, he would appear to have been a Protestant.
He entailed Hornby on Edward, his eldest son, " ye hall as it standeth,
with tables, wainscott, bufFetts, and formes," etc., "as heyrelooms in
the same house after my wyfes decease," " and all such lands as I have
purchased within the countyes of Westmorland and Cumberland, and other
lands which came to me by descent." Various bequests to his children, and
gifts to the poor of Penrith, Clifton, Melkinthorp, Cliburn, Kirkby Thore,
Sowerby, Newbiggin, Culgaith, and " ye poor of ye parish where I dwell,
and to ye Church Stock there for increase thereof." A codicil, dated
16 August, 1609, directs, "Also I will and my mind is yt if any before
named goe about either by themselves or others by their procurement
which is to have any benefit or profitt by this my last will and testament,
for to imbessell, filch, purloine, or carry away before or after my death
any of my goods, chattels, etc., then he or she so doing shall lose and want
ye benefitt yt this my said will to him or her so willed. I doe insert this
provision to my said will because I would have all things done and managed
with truth and honesty amongst those to whom I have given any benefit
by this my said will."
He died 8 January, 1609-10,^ and was buried at Brougham. He had
three sons and four daughters : —
Edward (vide p. 21). Elizabeth.
Henry (p. 22). Eillen.
Simon (p. 24). Agnes.
Jane.
' Inq. post mortem 9 James I., Misc., Elizabeth — Charles I., p. 10, No. 109.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 19
HENRY BYRKBECK I place as the second son {vide p. 17) of
Edward Birkbeck on account of his sons being placed by their uncle Thomas
next in tail to his own sons, and before his surviving brothers. No doubt
Henry was himself deceased in 1609, not being mentioned in the will, but
he is mentioned in his mother's will in 1599, as well as in that of his
brother Ambrose.
As mentioned (p. 11), he was sued by the Earl of Cumberland in
1566 for forcibly entering and hunting in Brougham Park without leave,
and taking his deer. Henry Birkbeck was in good company if he were a
poacher, for a Musgrave, a Lowther, and four Whartons were in the same
plight. They were all described as gentlemen. I do not know who he
married, but he had two sons, George and Edward, mentioned in the will
of their uncle Thomas, a.d, 1608, and one daughter, Jane, who married a
Whepdale, mentioned in the will of her grandmother Jane, a.d. 1599.
RICHARD BYRKBECK of Morton Tynmouth, parish of Gainford,
CO. Durham, placed third son [vide p. 17) of Edward, being fifth in tail,
married at Gainford, i September, 1597, Anne, widow of Francis Bainbridge,
and second daughter and coheiress of Ralph Alwent of Morton Tynmouth.
She was buried at Gainford 29 May, 1623.'
He was buried at Gainford 21 March, 1623, having had three sons
and five daughters : —
Thomas [vide infra). Mary, married John Morgan.
Henry, born 2 August, 16 12. Margaret.
Richard, born 19 June, 16 14, Jane, married William Iley.
admitted Gray's Inn, i 5 March, Anne.
1638. Bridget.
Thomas Birkbeck, baptized 30 December, 1601, was a Captain in the
King's Forces under the Earl of Newcastle ; he was sequestered a.d. 1652.
1 Inq. post mortem i8 August 21 James I. (Durham Records; Pub. Rec, xliv.,
P- 343)-
20 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
On the north wall of the chancel of Gainford Church there is a brass plate
in memory of his wife. I have not been able to ascertain who she was, or
to identify her arms. He was buried i8 April, 1677, having had one son,
Thomas, and one daughter, Catherine, who both died before him.
AMBROSE BYRKBECK of Great Chilton, co. Durham, younger
son of Edward [vide p. 17), married Margaret, daughter of Richard Bowes
of Aske, and widow of Thomas Middleton. His will, dated 7 December,
1594, and proved the same month, mentions no children, and leaves his
property to his brothers. His widow died 16 September, 161 6.
REV. CUTHBERT BYRKBECK, younger son of Edward (r/We
p. 17), is mentioned as " Syr Hylbert Byrbeck, Vickar off Lamffae, 1608,"
in the following pedigree in Dwnn's Visitations of Wales and part of the
Marches between a.i). 1586 and 1613 (vol. i., p. 191).
Tomas Byrbeck Esq''=p. . . .
i
Edward Byrbeck Esq.=pjan koeyr to Tomas Lonkaster.
Tomas=pJowan
Byrbeck
II III I I I
Syr Hylbert 4. Edward, i. Elsbeth. 2. Barbra 3. Elnor
do. to Byrbeck Vickar — mared to mared mared
Ambros off Lamffae 5. Ricliard Einion Mwngi Hari
Loncas- 1608. 1608. Medlton. le Skot. Loch,
ter. — —
3. Hari. 6. Harri.
Hi bereth Argent a ffs. check Or an G : 2 leions hiets erasyd G; in bas powynt a Bors
hied kopied G.
His name, however, clearly was Cuthbert, as the Rev. Cuthbert Birkbeck
was instituted Rector of Loveston, co. Pembroke, 2 May, 1590, and Vicar
of Lamphey in the same county 17 March, 1597-8. His will also is signed
' O God, prevent error."
- In Pembrokeshire.
ih?o lrlAl.¥iB5JRCIgiECIlSoWJirE1tD M=^
m
nm mti
m'^mihm i
BRASS IN CHANCEL OF GAINFORD CHURCH.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 21
Cuthbert, being dated 12 September, 16 13, and proved the following Novem-
ber. It directs his burial in the chancel of Lamphey, mentions his Clerk and
Sermonere of Loveston, and bequeaths his surplus to the poor of Lamphey.
Another younger son, Edward {vide p. 17), is only mentioned by
Dwnn.
The youngest son Henry is also only mentioned by Dwnn. He
possibly became a priest {ride p. 54), in which case he was admitted to the
English College at Valladolid 16 November, 1609, took the missionary
oaths 22 June, 16 10, and died in the College in September, 161 1. It was
not unusual to call two brothers by the same name at that date.
Having disposed of the children of Edward, we must return to those
of his eldest son.
EDWARD BIRKBECK of Hornby, eldest son of Thomas (p. 18),
born A.D. 1565,^ married before 1608 Bridget, daughter of John Calvert of
Cockerham, co. Lancaster. She was a staunch Roman Catholic, though
her husband would appear to have been a Protestant, as on 13 October,
1629, he was fined " £6 13s. 4d. by the year for the recusancy of Bridgett
his wife," and having failed to make the annual payment, he was twice
afterwards fined £.\oJ^ She married, secondly, John Lawson of St. Anthony,
Northumberland, and was living at Hornby in 165 i, being constantly fined
for recusancy.
The Hornby family are generally said to have been Roman Catholics
all through, but I am inclined to doubt this. From the time of their going
to Hornby until this marriage I have not found anything to shew they
were not Protestants, but from this period there are constant references to
the fact. The wills throw no certain light upon the subject. Before the
Reformation most wills begin by commending the testator's soul to the
Virgin and saints. The will of Thomas Birkbeck in 1608 commences
' Inq. post mortem of Thomas Birkbeck, Misc., Elizabeth — Charles 11., part x., 109.
- Recusant Rolls, 8, 9, 21, and 23 Charles I.
22 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
with a very usual formula, " I doe give my soule unto the Almighty God
my Maker and Redeemer," but the wills were usually drawn by Protestant
lawyers, and a Roman Catholic probably would not dare to use any but the
usual phrases. This will contains bequests to the poor of nine parishes,
and to "ye Church Stock of ye parish where I dwell." I am told that
Roman Catholics of position frequently left bequests to the poor in very
similar terms, but I certainly think that this gift to the " Church Stock " of
a Protestant church would probably not have been made by a good Catholic.
The fact of their being buried in their parish churchyards proves nothing,
as it was unavoidable.
1 have been unable to find the will of Edward Birkbeck, which is
mentioned in the Inq. post mortem' as having been dated 1 1 January,
1 63 1-2, the day on which he died.
He left five sons and two daughters : —
1. Henry (p. 24). Jane, living unmarried 1675-6.
2. Edward (p. 25). Bridget, married John Cornforth
3. Richard (p. 25). of Blackwell, co. Durham,
4. Thomas (p. 25). 1671.
5. John (p. 25).
HENRY BIRKBECK of Headlam, parish of Gainford, co. Durham,
second son of Thomas (r/f/e p. 18), was not included in the entail of Hornby
by his flither, although mentioned in his will and in those of his grandmother
Jane and his uncle Ambrose. He married, 26 May, 1606, Anne, widow
of Christopher Hutton of Hunwick, and daughter of Henry Brackenbury
of Sellaby, parish of Gainford. He bought the estate of Headlam from
Ambrose Lancaster in 1611." The house he built is still standing, and
though partly rebuilt, the mantelpiece in the hall still contains a shield with
the arms of Henry Birkbeck and his wife — A fess compony between three
' Intj. post mortem 9 Charles I., part ii., 138.
'- Fines, 9 and 12 James I. (Surtees' "History of Durham," vol. iv., p. 30).
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 23
lions' heads erased, a crescent for difference ; impaling, three chevronels
interlaced, Brackenbury. The mantelpiece is very similar to one at
Hornby {vide p. 37), and probably was copied from it. There was also a
large full-length picture which is said to be a portrait of Henry Birkbeck,
inscribed, "Sus etatis c,^ Anno 1619 ;" this would place his birth a.d. 1564;
and his elder brother is stated at the date of his father's death (8 January,
1609-10) to have been " 44 years and more,"' so the latter was apparently
born 1665 ; it now belongs to Mr. Brockett, Long Benton, Newcastle-on-
Tyne. The following shields in stained glass were in the mullioned
window on the staircase, but have been removed, and are now at Lancaster
in the possession of Mr. Holden, the former owner of Headlam, which
is now the property of Mr. J. H. Hett, Mr. Holden being descended from
Eleanor, the only daughter of Henry Birkbeck : —
A fess compony between three lions' heads erased gules, Birkbeck ;
impaling, azure, a fret argent.
Quarterly: i and 4, Birkbeck, as before ; 2 and 3, Argent, two bars
gules, on a canton of the second a mullet of the first, Lancaster ; impaling,
Lancaster, as before.
Birkbeck impaling Lancaster.
Birkbeck impaling, Sable, an orle ermine, semee of owls argent.^
In the first shield the lady's arms are evidently intended for Clifford,
but the blazoning is somewhat different from the shield at Hornby {vide
p. 33). In the fourth shield they are Calvert of Cockerham.
Mr. Holden kindly sent me a photograph of a silver-gilt cup belonging
to Mr. John Dale of Netterbank, Scarborough, who is also a direct
descendant of Henry Birkbeck ; it is 9 inches high, with the inscription,
" Thys was the gyft of ThoMAS Birkbecke, Esqvir'', to M. Anne
Birkbecke his Davghter in Law : 1609." Below which, on a shield, the
1 Inq. post mortem of Thomas Birkbeck, Misc., Elizabeth — Charles II., part x.,, 109.
- " Antiquities of Gainford " (J. R. Walbran), p. 108.
24 THE BIRKBFXKS OF WESTMORLAND.
arms : A fess compony between three lions' heads ; impaling, two bars,
on a canton a mullet of five points, pierced. The hall mark is D, the York
mark for 1609.
Henry Birkbeck was buried at Gainford 18 May, 1638, leaving one
daughter, Ealenor, baptized 15 April, 161 3 ; married first, 12 April,
1631, Robert Merrington ; and second, 24 April, 1636, Henry Draper,
by whom she left issue. She was buried at Gainford 14 April, 1649.
REV. SIMON BIRKBECK, third son of Thomas (p. 18), second in
tail to Hornby failing his brothers' sons, was admitted at the age of 16 to
(^een's College, Oxford, in the year 1600, M.A. 1607, and afterwards
Fellow. In 16 17 he became Vicar of Gilling and Forcet, co. York, " by
the favour of his kinsman, Humphrey Wharton "^ (the latter was great-great-
grandson of John Wharton of Kirkby Thore, who married Isabella, daughter
of John Lancaster of Brampton, 18 Henry VI.). Having submitted during
the Commonwealth he retained his benefices till his death. He was the author
of " The Protestants' Evidence," a history of the Church arranged in
centuries, shewing that he was a deeply-read man. In the title-page and
dedication of the first edition (a.d. 1635), which I have, his name is spelt
Birckbek. His will, dated 1 1 September, 1656, commences, " Being perfect
in remembrance, God's name be blessed for it, doe with Hezekiah desire to
set my house in order." He was buried three days afterwards in Forcet
Chapel, and over his grave is a marble with " Hie jacet Simon Birckbek socius
colleg. Regins in Oxon Bachalaur sacr. theolog. Pastor ecgles de Gilling et
Forcet et filius Thoms de Hornbie in Westmerl. armig. Resurgam. 1656."
HENRY BIRKBECK of Hornby, eldest son of Edward (p. 22), born
I 5 June, 1620." On his father's death, his mother, who had married again,
took possession of the property, and he brought a suit to recover it.^
1 Surtees' " History of Durham," vol. iv., p. 25.
- Iiiq. post mortem of Edward Birkbeck, Misc., 9 Charles I., part ii., 138.
3 Chancery Proceedings, Charles I., B B. Ixi., 48.
SILVER CUP GIVEN BY THOMAS BIRKBECK TO ANNE BIRKBECK OF HEADLAM.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 25
During the progress of the suit* he died. He may probably have been
" Henry Burbeck, Captaine under ye Lord Widdrington," buried at Holy
Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York, 15 May, 1644, as Dugdale's
Visitation certifies him to have died a.d. 1644 (Lord Widdrington was
a Royalist, and killed at the battle of Wigan 165 i). The three brothers,
Henry, Edward, and Richard were " in arms at Carlisle and elsewhere "
against the Parliamentarians.^ He married Eleanor, daughter of George
Poole of Wakebridge, co. Derby. She was a Roman Catholic, and buried
at St. Ninian's, Brougham, 8 February, 169 1-2. Henry Birkbeck left two
sons,
Thomas {infra) and Gervase (p. 27).
EDWARD BIRKBECK, second son of Edward (p. 22), inherited the
Manor of Melkinthorpe, which he sold, a.d. 1656, to Sir John Lowther.
He thought himself " one of the poorest lords in England."^ He was buried
at Brougham 31 December, 1688.
RICHARD BIRKBECK, third son of Edward (p. 22), was in 1685
acting as manager to his brother Henry's widow at Carlton Hall, Yorkshire.
He was buried at Brougham 2 April, 1697.
THOMAS and JOHN, the younger sons of Edward (p. 22), both
died unmarried before 1664.
THOMAS BIRKBECK of Hornby, eldest son of Henry {.mpra),
xt. 23 A.D. 1664-5.'* A suit was also brought by his mother in his name,
when 8 years of age, a.d. 1650, against his grandmother, Bridgett Lawson,
to recover his property, of which she had taken possession.' His pedigree
as certified in Dugdale's Visitation of Westmorland is as follows : —
^ Chancery Proceedings before 17 14, Bridges, \v., 378.
- Cal. Com. for Compounding, !., 501.
^ Chancery Proceedings before 17 14, Hamilton, iii., 404.
•* Dugdale's Visitation of Westmorland, a.d. 1664, G. 39, fo. 6 (College of Arms).
'" Chancery Proceedings before 1714, Bridges, iv., 378.
26 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Thomas Birkbeck of=f=. . . . daughter of ... . Lancaster, a younger
Hornby in Com. son of the House of Lancaster, of Stockbridge
Westmorland. in Com. Westmorland.
Edward Birkbeck of Hornby in Com. Westmerl.=pBridget, daughter of John Calvert of
Esq. dyed circa annum 1634. Cockerham in Com. Lane.
n i ~ \ ] in
4. Edward. 2. Thomas. 3. John. i. Henry Birkbeck=pEllen, daughter of i. Jane.
George Poole of —
Wakebridge in 2. Bridget.
Com. Derby.
)f Horneby Esq''
Richard. Dyed unmarried. dyed in a" 1644 or
thereabouts.
1. Gervase Thomas Birkbeck of Horneby Esq'' ?etatis 23 annorum 22 Martii 1664.
Birkbeck.
rtifiedby /^mOU^ (^ir^J<^o{<^
Ce
[The facsimile of his signature is taken from the original visitation at the College of Arms.]
He married Margaret, daughter and coheir of John Catterick of
Carlton Hall, in the parish of Gilling, co. York. She was a Roman
Catholic as well as her husband. Her will, dated 3 June, 1685, contains a
touching injunction " desiring her eldest son to be Loving and kind to his
younger brothers and sisters, and to be carefull in ye choice of a wife and
ye management of his estates," which latter advice he certainly failed to
observe. She was buried at Brougham 5 June, 1685. Shortly before the
death of Thomas Birkbeck there is an entry in the " Extracts from the Day
Book of Anne, Countess of Pembroke," preserved at Appleby Castle, dated
17 January, 1675-6, when she was living at Brougham Castle : —
To-day there Dined without, with my Folks, my cousin Mr. Thomas Burbeck
of Hornby and his wife and their little Daughter and his Father in Law Mr,
Catterick and his wife and his mother, and there also dined here Mr. Robert
Carleton, only son to the widow Lady Carleton, so that after Dinner I had them
all into my chamber and kissed the Women and took the Men by the Hand. And
I gave to my cousin Mr. Burbeck and his Wife each Ten Shillings, and to his
Mother 'I'en Shillings, and to his Father in Law Mr. Catterick and his Wife each
of them Ten Shillings, and six shillings to the child, and I gave Mr. Carleton a
pair of Buckskin Gloves, and then they all went away. I went not out of the
i louse nor out of niv Chamber this Dav.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 27
This entry is not in the " Diary " at Appleby Castle, nor in the MS.
copy in the British Museum, which both end 30 November, 1675 ; but is
in a MS. "Extracts from the Day Book," which commence January, 1675-6,
and end 21 March, the day before her death, being apparently memoranda
jotted day by day, and death prevented their being enrolled in the
" Diary." It seems to have been her custom to make presents to her guests
on leaving, generally from 2s. 6d. to 5s. in money, or a pair of gloves, so
Thomas Birkbeck and his relatives were markedly favoured. What the
cousinship was I cannot say, unless it was connected with the sinister Clifford
marriage to which Machell alludes (p. 34). Anne, Countess of Pembroke,
was granddaughter of Henry, second Earl of Cumberland, who granted
Hornby to Edward Birkbeck a.d. 1552. Thomas Birkbeck's will was
dated 2 July, 1676, and proved 5 December the same year. He was
apparently buried at Brougham, as the will of his widow directs her burial
near his grave there.
He left four sons and one daughter : —
• • Catterick (infra). Mary (p. 30).
Edward (p. 29).
Gervase (p. 29).
Thomas (p. 30).
GERVASE BIRKBECK, second son of Henry (p. 25), "died an
ensign in the King's Foot Guards in London,"^ and was buried 1 7 Novem-
ber, 1674, at St. Margaret's, Westminster.
CATTERICK BIRKBECK, eldest son of Thomas (mpra), in the
words of Machell, " made an end of Hornby by gaming and fooling."
He was baptized at Stanwick 17 April, 1668, and married in 1690 Mary,
eldest daughter and coheiress of Robert Peirson of Bishops Medlam,
CO. Durham, by Mary, sister of Viscount Cullen : she had a fortune ot
* Machell's MSS., vol. v., p. 579, in the possession of Rev. Richard B. Machell, Roos
Rectory, Yorkshire.
E 2
28 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
jT 1 0,000, which he undertook to settle on her, but failed to do.' She
was buried at Stanwick 26 December, 1693, before she was of age.
P>om the year he came of age to his death he was involved in lawsuits
and vain attempts to regain the property he had squandered. He charges
his kinsman Thomas Pulleine with having induced him to convey his
Carleton estate to him, in order to save it from sequestration as the property
of a Roman Catholic, and " insinuated to him the inevitable ruin of the men
of his persuasion," that his estates would soon be sequestered, " that no
person could so well save the estate from sequestration and ruin as himself;"
and " shortly afterwards induced him, being young and inexperienced, to go
with him to Newmarket to see the horse-courses, and from thence to
London, under pretence of securing him a good fortune in the way of
marriage. One night he got him to play cards at a game called ' Put,'
which he httle understood." Catterick then " questioned some deceit in
playing by the reflection of a polished snuff-box which Pulleine laid upon
the table, which shewed him the cards as they were dealt."" One of his
wagers was ^^50 that the late King James would be settled on his throne
before Christmas 1689. In another suit he accuses his wife's uncle. Viscount
CuUen, of withholding part of his wife's fortune, she having married
without Lord Cullen's consent.'
He borrowed money from Robert Benson, a Quaker in Penrith, in
order to free himself from Pulleine, and assigned Hornby to him as
security. The conveyance mentions the estate as comprising " 6 messuages,
10 cottages, 3 tofts, i dovecot, 4 barns, 3 gardens, 3 orchards, 5 acres of
land, 60 acres meadow, 1000 acres pasture, 400 acres wood, 500 acres furze
and heath, 1000 acres moor, free-warren, free fishing and common of
pasture in Hornby, Hudfoote, and the parish of Burgham, otherwise
' Chancery Proceedings, 1714 — 1758, Zinck 1699 and Winter 786; and Chancery
Proceedings before 17 14, Hamilton, i., 314.
- Chancery Proceedings before 1714, Whittington, iv., 279, A.
^ Hid., i., 512.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 29
Broham, otherwise Broom."' He finally sold Hornby to Thomas Dalston
of Penrith, who had been his guardian during his minority, having with the
aid of his brothers and sister cut ofF the entail,^ but they were robbed of
their stipulated portions charged on Carleton, which was sold to PuUeine for
half its value.^
There would appear to have been some foundation for Catterick's
charges against Pulleine, as he obtained a decree in Chancery ordering the
latter to deliver up Carleton to him on repayment of ;^36io, but the unfor-
tunate Catterick was unable to produce the money.*
By 1699 he was in the Fleet Prison, where Pulleine threatened to keep
him as long as he lived, and he appears to have passed most of his life
there. His will, made in Wild Street, is dated 16 April, 1722, and proved
17 June, 1733. He left one son, Edward, who married Ann . . . ., she
survived him, but had no children. Edward died in September, 1 740.'
EDWARD BIRKBECK, second son of Thomas (p. 27), born
24 December, 1667, became a Priest ; he was educated at the College of
St. Omer, entered the Society of Jesus 7 September, 1690, and professed the
Four Vows 2 February, 1708. In 1706 he was serving the Missions in the
south of England. Died at Ghent 9 January, 1722-3." Administration
granted 5 March, 1727-8, to his nephew Edward.
GERVASE BIRKBECK, third son of Thomas (p. 27), born 1675 ;
entered the Society of Jesus 7 September, 1698; was ordained Priest at
the English College at Rome 20 December, 1710, and left for Flanders
to be Confessor to a Convent of English Nuns 19 April, 1711.'^ Living
5 March, 1727-8.
1 Feet of Fines, William and Mary, packet iii.
- Chancery Proceedings, 1714 — 1758, Reynardson, A. 2392.
^ Chancery Proceedings before 1714, Bridges, iii., 285.
* Chancery Decrees, A., 1696, fo. 500*.
= Chancery Proceedings, 1714 — 1758, Woodford, 1078.
^ Records Society of Jesus (H. Foley), vol. Tii., fo. 598.
30 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
THOMAS BIRKBECK, fourth son of Thomas (p. 27), born two
months after his father's death. Administration, as " late of Great Salkeld,
CO. Cumb.," granted to his nephew Edward 5 March, 1727-8.
MARY BIRKBECK, daughter of Thomas (p. 27), was aged 18 in
1690, and was living unmarried in 1728. She may probably have been the
writer of a letter dated Antwerp, 20 November, 1726, addressed to John
Caryll of Ladyholt, Sussex, thanking for "liberall alms" as her two brothers
were in Flanders.' The Carylls were an old and staunch Roman Catholic
family in Sussex.
It was a melancholy end to a family which had so good a record in the
sixteenth century. No doubt they had been much impoverished by the
harsh and cruel penal laws against Roman Catholics, and by their loyalty to
Charles I., but Catterick's weakness and folly were the last straw. His
brothers and sister never received their portions, as they were not aware
of their father's will.^
Thomas Dalston, who bought Hornby, left no children. After his
death it passed to William Dalston, and was eventually sold to the Lowthers,
being now the property of the Earl of Lonsdale.
The following extracts will shew the severity of the penal laws just
mentioned : " It was made criminal in a Papist to possess arms or to own a
horse worth more than ;^5 ; to say Mass or to keep a school subjected the
Papist to perpetual imprisonment. The informer who should lead to the
apprehension of a priest for saying Mass received ;/^ioo. The Papists were
incapable of inheriting any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, and could be
called upon to give them up to their next-of-kin ; nor could any Papist
purchase land after 10 April, 1700. Anyone informing against a Papist
who educated his children beyond the seas, as at Douay or St. Omer,
received the penalty of /iioo. The Acts of Elizabeth making it death for
> Add. MSS. 28,618, fo. 113.
- Chancery Proceedings, 17x4 — 17 jS, Reynardson, A. 2400.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 31
a priest to be in England were unrepealed."^ " If any English priest of the
Church of Rome came to England from beyond the seas, or tarried in
England three days without conforming to the Church, he was guilty of
high treason, and liable to death. If the children of Papists were educated
at home, and the schoolmaster did not repair to church, the parents were
liable to forfeit £10 a. month, and the schoolmaster 40s. a day. If they
sent their children abroad for education, they were liable to forfeit ;^ioo,
and the children so sent were disabled from inheriting, purchasing, or
enjoying any lands, tenements, or other profits. Saying Mass was punishable
by a forfeiture of 200 marks ; hearing Mass by a forfeiture of 100 marks."^
The estate of Hornby in early times formed part of the Forest of
Whinfell, the property of the Veteriponts, and later of the Cliffords and the
Earls of Cumberland. Machell says there is every reason to believe that
when the forest was a royal one, Hornby was the residence of the forester ;
afterwards, when it came into the hands of subjects and ceased to be a
royal forest, an officer called a bailiff appears to have lived at Hornby.^
In 35 Edward III. William de Horneby held the office of bailiff to the
Forest of Whynfell,^ and in 9 Richard II. Roger son of William de Horneby
held I messuage and 70 acres land and the office of bailiff there.^ Camden
makes the following suggestion as to the derivation of the name : —
By the side of Wliinfield Park is Hart-horn-tree, which may seem to give name
to Hornby Hall, a seat of the Dalstons, and to have borrowed its own from a stag
which was coursed by a single greyhound to the Red Kirk in Scotland and back
again to this place, where being spent the stag leapt the pales, but dyed on the
other side ; and the greyhound attempting to leap fell and dyed on this side.
Whence thev nailed up their heads upon the tree; and the dog's name being
Hercules, they made this rhyme upon them —
Hercules killed Hart-a-greese,
And Hart-a-greese killed Hercules."
1 " Life of Cardinal Wiseman " (W. Ward), vol. !., p. 184.
- " A Guide to the Principal Documents in the Record Office" (S. R. Scargill-Bird),
p. 184. 3 Machell MSS., p. 569. ' Rot. Orig., R. 5.
5 Inq. post mortem. " Camden's " Britannia," vol. ii., p. 994.
32 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
The Rector of St. Ninian's, the parish church, had and still has at
Hornby Hall on Sundays, if he chooses to claim it, what is called a
" Whittle Gate," viz., board and lodging. The patron saint St. Ninian was
a Cumbrian Prince and Christian missionary, who built the first stone church
between the Forth and the Clyde, the " Candida Casa " at Whithern in
Wigtonshire ; this was 200 years before St. Augustine. The name is a
very rare one as patron saint, but is occasionally met with as a Christian
name. Ninian Middleton married Elizabeth, daughter of Eciward Birkbeck,
to whom Hornby was granted (p. 17).
Hornby Hall is about four miles from Penrith, in the parish of
Brougham, and stands on a rising bank overlooking the Eamont on the
Westmorland side of the river. It is rented from Lord Lonsdale by George
Hutchinson, Esq., whose brother William was living there in 1886, and was
most obliging in shewing me everything of interest. The farm is now only
635 acres, instead of the 3000 acres which Catterick Birkbeck mortgaged.
There is an interesting account of Hornby by Dr. Taylor in the "Trans-
actions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Society," vol. iv.,
p. 392, from which I have supplemented the notes I made on the spot.
The house is solidly built of dark sandstone and roofed with flagstones,
o!:e end being modern, the older portion having mullioned windows. A
feature of the old part is the square porch turret projecting a dozen feet in
front of the main building, and carried up to the height of the roof ridge ;
the outer doorway is arched, and has over it a stone escutcheon with several
shields, overgrown with ivy, and so much defaced from the crumbling
nature of the stone that I could make nothing of the arms except a helmet
over the centre shield. Dr. Haswell, in " Notes on Local Heraldry,"'
considers the arms to be Dalston of Acorn Bank, no doubt placed there by
Thomas Dalston.
' "Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Society," vol. xiv.,
i>. 160.
THE PORCH, HORNBY HALL.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 33
Inside the porch is a fine oak door, and beyond it another small
doorway leads up by a narrow winding stone staircase to two small rooms
over the porch ; in the lower one on the ceiling is the date ^-^^ and some
acorns ; the upper room was the chapel, which Dr. Taylor says had formerly
a piscina in the south-east corner, and not many years ago a beautifully
groined and ornamented ceiling. In " Domestic Architecture of Fourteenth
Century" by Parker, the opinion of Dr. Copleston is quoted that the word
" Oriel " signified the porch or entrance with a chapel over it, giving
authorities. This exactly describes the Hornby porch.
In the Brougham Parish Register the Hornby Birkbecks are often
" presented as Papists " by the churchwardens, but Edward Birkbeck, the
poor Lord of Melkenthorpe Manor, was a churchwarden 1676-7.
Turning from the porch to the left is the entrance to the hall, which is
2 1 feet square. One of the windows has in the two centre lights two coats
of arms in coloured glass. The arms in the right-hand shield are — Clifford,
Chequy or and azure a fess gules (the arms of the Earls of Cumberland —
Clifford — were, Chequy or and azure a fess gules) ; those on the left-hand
shield are Birkbeck. Dr. Taylor describes them as Argent, a fess
chequy or and azure between three boars' heads gules. Dr. Haswell says
the fess is compony, not chequy.^ The lower portion of the shield has
been broken ; there are only remaining the two upper heads, which might
be boars' or lions'. I took them to be lions', and the remaining portion of
the fess is certainly compony, although it clearly ought to have been chequy.
Machell notices this in his commeiits on Dugdale's Visitation a.d. 1664-5,
on the very day the Herald certified the pedigree of Thomas Birkbeck of
Hornby : —
The Arms : Arg. a Fess chequy or & sa. Between 3 Lyonens heads errased,
Gules Ita se habet in Dug. But I believe this is a mistake in ye tracing itj for
in all their Armes att Hornby the Fess is Contercompone or <^ azure ; he
1 " Transactions of Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Society," vol. xiv.,
p. 160.
34 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
bore 3 Lyons heads <?#c., & sometimes he bore 2 Lyons heads in Chiefe ^ a
F. Bores head in bass ; which I have seen confirmed in Visit. West. ^ Cumb.
Circa temp. Hen. 8. Mr. Knight sed valeat per me licet tanto viri Authoritas.^
The explanation of the Clifford shield may be the Clifford marriage
mentioned by Machell, and possibly the chequy fess in the Birkbeck arms
has some connection therewith. Machell, without giving any authority,
states that " the estate was given to the Birkbecks in dower with a sinister
Clifford, but withal in exchange for a third part of Brampton," which came
to them by marriage of a coheir, the eldest daughter of Lancaster of
Brampton.^ We know that the Earl of Cumberland conveyed Hornby to
Edward Birkbeck 8 May 6 Edward VL,^ and Edward Birkbeck and his
wife conveyed one-third of Brampton to the Earl in Michaelmas of the same
year.* So Machell was correct as to the exchange at all events. It is at
least a coincidence that in the " list of the names of all the gentlemen within
the Schyer of Westmorland," a.d. 1526, the next name after that of Thomas
Byrkbycke (the father of Edward) is that of Thomas Clifford the Bastard.^
1 have met his name several times about this date.
Machell in another place writes : —
Ad Browhani, Cosan Birkbecke of Hornbye has matched 11 as q' Birkbccke.
i"'. Clifford. — Cheqny or d^ az. a fess gu. over all a Baton sinister base
born.
2'"'. Salkeld de Rosgill. — Arg. fretty gu. a chief of the 2'"".
3''''. Denton de Cardevv. — Arg. 2 Barrs gu. in chief 3 Martletts of the
Second.
4"". Sandford (Hovvgill Castle, Westm.). — Per chev. sa. <^ erm. in chief
2 Boars^ Heads couped or.
5*"'. Wharton de Kirkbythore. — Sa. a maunch arg.
1 Machell's MSS., " History of the Borders," vol. v., p. 29 (Library Dean and
Chapter Carlisle).
~ Machell's MSS., vol. v., p. 569 (the property of Rev. Richard B. Machell, Roos
Rectory, Yorks).
8 Inq. post mortem of Edward Birkbeck (grandson of above), 9 Charles I., part ii., 128.
* Notes of Fines, Michaelmas 6 Edward VL
'" Cotton MSS., Calig. B., iii., fo. 193.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 35
6"'. Lancaster de Sockbridge, Westni. — Arg. 2 Barrs gu. on a canton of
the 2°'' a mullet pierced or.
7"'. Lancaster de Brampton, VVestm. — Or 2 Barrs gu. on a canton of the
2""^ a mullet arg.
8"'. Lancaster de Brampton, VVestm., ditto ditto.
9'". Labourne, CO. Lancastriensi, whose armes are an escutshion armine
6 owls (3 : 2 : i) arg. over all a Bend sa.
10*''. Poole, co. Derby. — Az. a chevron between 3 crescents or.
ii"". Katricke, CO. Ebor. — Arg. on a Fesse ingrailed sa. quatrefoils or.^
Machell wrote this at Brougham, in which parish Hornby was, and no
doubt his cousin was Thomas Birkbeck, who married Margaret Catterick.
He apparently made an error in the name of the ninth marriage. Edward
Birkbeck, born 1567, married Bridget Calvert of Cockerham, co. Lancaster,
and the arms of Calvert of Cockerham are : Sable, on an inescutcheon
ermine, within an orle of eight owls argent, three guttees-de-sang ; but the
arms of Labourne of Cunswick, co. Lancaster, are : Azure, six lions rampant
argent, three, two, and one. -i i 'T'.^'^GS
There would thus appear to have been six generations before Edward
Birkbeck, the first possessor 6f Hornby, whose marriages into families of
position were known in Machell's time (the latter half of the seventeenth
century), but unluckily he does not mention the Christian names of the
husbands. The four coats of arms in stained glass removed from the
house of Henry Birkbeck at Headlam, mentioned at p. 23, appear to
be the first, seventh, eighth, and ninth of Machell's ; the sixth match
probably represents the marriage of Thomas Birkbeck of Carlisle, who was
the earliest we know of in the Hornby pedigree. The shields in coloured
glass both at Hornby and Headlam would seem to confirm the Clifford
match of Machell, although in neither case the Clifford arms has the bar
sinister, but perhaps this is a natural omission.
If Machell's statement that Hornby was acquired in dower with a
sinister Clifford refers to the Clifford match with a baton sinister, it ought
1 Machell's MSS., vol. i., p. 444 (Library Dean and Chapter Carlisle).
F 2
:^6 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
surely to have been number six, not number one. Supposing these
" matchings " to be correct, there were five previous marriages into families
of very good position of which we have no other record.
The huge chimney-piece in the hall is flush with the wall, and the arch
12 feet across; the end of the hall has a wainscotted oak dado 3 feet
high, beautifully carved in round arches and pilasters with foliage in the
spandrels. There is a very good old oak cabinet which Mr. Hutchinson
told me his father had purchased from a family who had previously bought
it out of Hornby Hall ; it has " G. B. 1 640," carved on it. There is only
one Birkbeck in the Hornby pedigree to whom the initials and date could
apply — George (the eldest son of Henry), on whom as third in tail his uncle
Thomas in 1608 settled Hornby failing other heirs, but he did not
succeed. I think there may be some mistake as to the cabinet coming
originally from Hornby ; there were other families of Birkbeck in the
parish to whom it might have belonged.
A stone doorway with moulded ornaments, leading from the hall to the
parlour or small dining-room, has "^> u 1602 " cut on it, but the doorway
appears to be of a later period than the rest of the house ; no doubt the
initials were those of Thomas and Joan Birkbeck. In the parlour the
carved oak mantelpiece has three divisions, the arms in the centre. The
side compartments, Dr. Taylor says, contained paintings, but they are so
nearly obliterated that I did not observe them ; as will be seen from the
engraving, the mantelpiece is very fine. Dr. Taylor says the oak carving
at Hornby affords the best example of any remaining /;; situ in the county.
Upstairs, over the hall, is the drawing-room, wainscotted nearly to the
ceiling, which is plaster work coloured in red and gold, and crossed by
moulded ribs ; it is slightly arched, having a large centre piece embossed
with vine leaves and bunches of grapes, from which probably once hung
a candelabra. These embossed plaster ceilings seem to have been
characteristic of the reign of Elizabeth ; Dr. Taylor mentions several
DOORWAY AT HORNBY HALL.
PANEL OF CEILING IN DRAWING-ROOM, HORNBY HALL.
MANTELPIECE IN DRAWING-ROOM AT HORNBY HALL.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 37
stiJl existing in Westmorland and Cumberland, which all appear to date
between 1560 and 1590. Close under the ceiling, all round the room,
is a border with inscriptions painted in Roman capitals, partly illegible,
which I omitted to copy, but Dr. Taylor says they are Latin mottoes and
legends, and mentions one as mors christi vita mea. The mantelpiece
is very handsome, and was gilded ; the boldly carved cornice reaching to
the ceiling is in three divisions, with the arms in the centre panel ; it is
curiously like the chimney-piece at Headlam (p. 23), but finer in design.
Dr. Taylor remarks, " If you picture the room in its original condition,
you will realize its gorgeous aspect — the shining panelled woodwork lining
the walls, the inscription in bright letters running under the cornice, the
elaborate ceiling, and last of all, the bold and richly decorated mantelpiece
with its shields, brilliant with tinctures and metals."
( 38 )
BIRK BECKS OF ORTON.
The parish of Orton, which was anciently called Scar Overton, from its
situation under a scar or brow of naked rocks, contains 25,000 acres, of
which only half are cultivated, and was formerly a far more important place
than it now is, having been granted a charter for a weekly market as early
as 6 Edward I.^ At a Muster for Westmorland taken at Sandforth
20 February, 1558-9, at which the total number was 271, there came from
Orton 50 " Footmen furnished with Jacks or stel cotes and stele cappes,
Bowes 18, and Bills 32."^ On the summit of the Scar there was a beacon,
which communicated with the Penrith and other beacons. A beautiful
silver fibula and torque, which are now in the collection of the Society of
Antiquaries, were found at Orton Scar in 1847.
Orton appears to have been the earliest home of the Birkbecks, and
almost the whole of the Birkbeck Lordship (within which was the township
or hamlet of Birkbeck) being in the parish, the name probably had its origin
there.
The earliest reference to the name I have found was at Orton, as
recited in the Pleas of the county of Westmorland before John de Vallebus
and others Justices itinerant on the morrow of St. Lucy the Virgin,
7 Edward L (13 December, 1278). Roger the Miller of Langton killed
William le Hirde of Overton, and immediately fled and was suspected ;
1 " History of Westmorland " (Burn and Nicholson), vol. !., p. 486.
' " State Papers" (Domestic), Elizabeth, 1559, vol. ii., p. 36.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
39
therefore let him be put in exigency and outlawed, his goods 2s. ()d.,
whereof Richard de Creppinges, then Sheriff, shall answer. Afterwards
it is witnessed that Agnes, wife of the aforesaid William, appealed in the
County the aforesaid Roger, and did not prosecute her appeal : therefore
let her be taken and her pledges to prosecute in mercy, to wit, Richard West
and Norman de Berkebek. And the Vill of Overton, Crosby Ravensworth,
Tybay and Great Askby concealed the aforesaid goods before the Coroner :
therefore in mercy.'
In another similar Roll the name is spelt Norman de Berlebek, and in
the Fines and Amercements of the county of Westmorland the same year.
From Agnes, who was wife of William le Hirde of Overton, because she
does not prosecute her appeal — Richard West and Norman de Berkeby
for pledges of the same — half a mark.^
At the assize taken at Appleby in the octaves of St. Michael,
20 Edward I. (a.d. 1292), Thomas de Hellebek and Avice his wife were
summoned to answer the Abbot of Bellalanda that they should permit him
to have a certain road over their lands in Overton which they ought to
have, and where he says he ought to have a certain road over the lands
of the said Thomas and Avice in Overton, to wit, from a certain place
called Byrkebek to a certain place called Coteflat in the same vill towards
the north, etc.^ Coatflat Hall became afterwards, as we shall see, Birkbeck
property. Sir Thomas de Hellebeck married Avicia, daughter of Adam de
Henecastre, and had with her, among other property, lands in Overton,
including Coteflat. Bellalanda was the Abbey of Byland in Yorkshire,
which owned some land in Shap, the adjoining parish to Orton.
The Manor of Orton was divided before the time of Edward I.
(p. 8), one moiety, the Orton Manor, being held by the Dacres, and
^ Assize Roll, Westmorland, 7 Edward I., M. — i — 29, 5", M. 30.
^ Ibid., M.— I— 29, 3, M. 25.
3 Assize Roll, Westmorland, 20 Edward I., M. — 1—29, 9, M. 17.
40 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
the other moiety, the Raisbeck Manor, by the Musgraves ;* the Orton
Manor was conveyed in the year 1614 by Anne, Countess of Arundel,
to Edmund Branthwaite, Thomas Birkbeck, James Birkbeck, and Thomas
Powley in trust for themselves and the rest of the tenants ;- the Raisbeck
Manor was also divided into two portions, one of which was conveyed
by the Warcops in 1592 to George Birkbeck,'' Robert Whitehead, and
George Sharp, and the other portion was also sold to the tenants by
Thomas Blenkinsop of Hellbeck in 1630.''
In 1455 William Birkbeck was Vicar of Orton.
The very great number of Birkbecks living in Orton during the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries renders it most difficult to trace the
different families, the more so owing to there having been often several
heads of families bearing the same Christian name living at the same time ;
for instance, five Thomas Birkbecks signed a paper in 1666 relating to
an exchange of glebe lands. The Parish Register contains 487 Birkbeck
entries before the year 1750, although some fifteen or sixteen years are
altogether missing from the Register. The counties of Westmorland and
Cumberland were ravaged by the plague in 1597 and 1623 (although it
does not seem to have come so far north in 1665, when London was
desolated). In the former year the Orton Register marks its record by
the great increase in the number of burials ; there are ten entries of
Birkbeck deaths ; of these five are marked "E. C," possibly for /« ecc/esiam,
signifying burials inside the church. W^e do not know as to 1623, as the
pages containing the entries for that year are missing.
The Register commences a.d. 1596. The first page of the first
volume contains the following entry : " The names of the Sworne Men of
' " History of Westmorland and Cinnberland," vol. i., p. 486.
- Close Roll, 12 James I., Part 28, No. 15.
•* George Birkbeck had thirty-two tenants on his own estate within this portion of
tl\e manor.
* " History of Westmorland and Cumberland," vol. i., p. 489.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 41
Orto' Anno d'ni 1596;" and the second name on the list is Thomas
Birkbecke. There are fourteen names in all.
Imprimis that thes be diligent and careful to see and provide that the people
be ... . and behave the'selves honestlie .... feare of God accordinge to the Holie
Word of God and the good and wholesome iawes of this land. Secondlie to
se that the Churchwardens be careful and diligent in executinge their office, ioyne
with thes in suppressinge of sinne and such as behave the'selves inordinatlie,
to reprove and rebuke those wh. be founde offendors, and if they will not amend
to p'sent the' to be punished. Thirdlie to se that the church and churchy* be
decentlie repaired and mainteyned, etc.
There were twelve sworn men of Orton. The list probably also
includes the churchwardens ; they seem to have been a primitive Parish
Council with more extended powers than their successors. Some of the
earlier entries of the Birkbecks are in Old English characters, or else capital
letters, as if they were the principal people in the parish, the owner of
Coatflat and Orton Hall being generally described as " Mr."
My grateful thanks are due to Mrs. Holme, the wife of the Vicar
of Orton, who, as I could only devote one afternoon to the Registers,
most kindly copied out for me what I had been compelled to leave
unfinished — a long and tedious work.
The Church Chest contains a quantity of memoranda and copies of
deeds relating to the Birkbecks, some of them, it is suggested, in the
handwriting of Dr. Burns the historian, who was forty-nine years Vicar of
Orton ; probably they were notes for his " History of Cumberland ana
Westmorland." One is an account of " the rental of the tithe of corn
and hay in the Parish of Orton before that tithe was purchased of King
James the First in 1612, as rated in 1596 — 1599," containing thirty entries
of Birkbecks as tithe-payers. George Birkbeck is mentioned five times.
This evidently refers to the landowners in the parish having, in 161 1,
pufchased from the Crown the rectory and advowson of Orton, together
with the tithes.^ In 1643, on the death of the Incumbent, the Civil War
^ Duchy of Lancaster Privy Seals, 9 James I.
42 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
then raging, each party attempted to elect a vicar of their own side. The
parishioners on the side of the Parliament presented Alexander Fetherstone-
haugh, a Chaplain in the Parliamentary Army, but the Royalists, who were
the largest landowners, elected George Fothergill, and kept Fetherstone-
haugh out of the church.^ They complain that — ■
Ye said ftetherstone Haugh came in a forceable manner, and did break open
the church door, to take possession thereof insomuch y' ye fleoffies and ye
parishon" were forced to watch ye said church, and caused it to be watched for
9 weeks or thereabouts, together in ye churchyard, lest ye said ffetherstone-haug
should after ye breaking of ye said door maintain and keep his possession there, in
wh. did not only occasion ye expence of ye fFeoffeies and ye parish to ye sum
of one hundred pounds, but also did endanger ye loss of ye advowson of ye
s'' vicarage contrary to all right and Equitie to ye loss and damage of ye said
ffeoffies and psh. of Orton to ye valew of five hundred pounds. -
The presentation to the Royalist was signed among others by nine
Birkbecks ; from 1646 to 1654 there are no entries in the Register; at
length Mr. Fothergill the Royalist was established as Vicar, but he was
ejected in 1662 for not complying with the Act of Uniformity.
The rectorial tithes are vested in the landowners, and the parish still
elects the vicar when a vacancy occurs, happily a rare occurrence in
England.
There is a story in the " Worthies of Westmorland " of one of these
elections : After the clerical candidates had passed through the usual ordeal
nf preaching and praying, on one of the electors in conclave assembled
being asked for which of the candidates he voted, he replied, " T' furst 'un
'st far t'better Sunday Priest, but I'se fer't clipping drink chap."
The name of George Whitehead, the greatest apostle of Quakerism,
who was born at Newbiggin in the parish of Orton about the year 1635,
is perhaps more widely known than that of two bishops who were natives
of Orton — Nicholas Close, born in the township of Birkbeck, Bishop of
' " History of \\'estniorkind and Cumberland," vol. i., p. 484.
- Paper in Orton Church Chest.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 43
Carlisle and Lichfield, the builder of King's College, Cambridge, and
Thomas Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln, born at Orton in 1607, whose mother
was a Birkbeck. Of the latter prelate certainly Orton has no reason to
be proud. There was some marriage of a Whitehead and a Birkbeck,
as Margaret Birkbeck's wiU, a.d. 1630, mentions her grandchild Mary
Whitehead.
I have done my best to trace the ramifications of the Orton Birkbecks
from their wills and law-suits, but only sketches of two families are here
given, as Orton, having been a very rabbit-warren of Birkbecks, their
history is most confusing, and after all of litde interest. The leading
families were those of Coatflat Hall and Orton Hall. George Birkbeck
bought Coatflat in 1587 ; he is called in the admittance to the manor by
Henry Blenkinsop of Helbeck " George Birkbeck Junier de Orton ;"*
he also owned, if he did not in 1604 build, Orton Hall ; he had besides
much other property, including lands at Haughtonfield and Lingfield in the
county of Durham. Surtees says of him, " perhaps son of Henry Birkbeck,
1594,"^ viz., of Hornby (p. 19). George Birkbeck's widow, Margaret,
who died in 1630, certainly appointed Edward Birkbeck of Hornby as
supervisor to her will, but would probably have mentioned the relationship
had there been any. I think he was an Orton man, and probably the son
of Brian, who died 1594, leaving a son George and a grandson Brian,
but there were at least three other George Birkbecks living at Orton at
the time. George Birkbeck of Coatflat was buried 3 November, 1624;
Inq. post mortem 21 May, 1625. His will is mentioned in the papers
in the Church Chest as bearing date 17 September, 1624, but I did not
find it at Carlisle. There seems to have been some curious customs
connected with wills at Orton, for in 1650 Henry Birkbeck of Orton
complains that his father, Thomas, died in 1631, and that Edward
1 Paper in Orton Church Chest.
^ " History of Durham," vol. iv., p. 25.
44 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Birkbeck, being Clerk to the Church, had power from the minister to draw
all wills within the parish, and, having drawn the will of complainant's
father, appointed himself supervisor of the will, detained it, and kept it
in his custody for eighteen years, so that complainant could never get sight
of the will although he was an executor.' The neighbouring parish of
Ravenstonedale had its own Court of Probate.
George Birkbeck had three sons, Bryan, Thomas, and Edward.
Bryan, the eldest, having only a daughter, renounced his succession to
Coatflat during his father's hfe ; he died 1637. The daughter Elizabeth
inherited Orton Hall, and she, having married Christopher Petty, it became
Petty property, and is now called Petty Hall. The third son, Edward,
succeeded to Coatflat, and married Isabel, second daughter and coheiress ot
Thomas Wharton. He " conducted the souldiers for one half of the
county of Westmorland to the Port of Newcasde for supply unto the King
of Denmark," a.d. 1627.^ He died in 1634, leaving two sons, George
and Thomas ; the former dying without issue left Coatflat to Thomas.
He "disclaimed" the arms at Dugdale's Visitation in 1666, so apparendy
was supposed to be entitled to them. Chancellor Ferguson states that
at the Carlisle and Appleby Assizes of 1666 a large number of the country
gendemen were disclaimed because they would not pay the fee of 27s.,
which was the Herald's due for entering their arms. Chancellor Ferguson
quotes Machell's " Account of Mr. Dugdale's visitation of Westmorland
of such as were disclaimed at Appleby, same assize, 1666 — (in/er alia)
Thom. Birkbeck of Coatflat and T. B. of Orton : the reason and suppose
of disclaiming them was their non-appearance to pay their fees."^ He was
Chief Constable for the East Ward of Westmorland a.d. 1678, and was
1 Cliancery Bills and Answers, Charles I., B. 150, No. 17.
- State Papers, Charles I., vol. Ixxii., fo. 26.
^ "Transactions of Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Society," vol. ii.j
p. 23.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 45
buried 4 June, 1707. His only son, Edward, had no surviving issue,
and at his death, 3 June, 1728, Coatflat was divided between his two sisters,
Isabel marrying John Metcalfe, and Elizabeth, married to Leonard Thorn-
borrow. Coatflat Hall, which was situated a mile from Orton, was pulled
down in 1793, but I thought some of the interior walls of the present
farmhouse and the barn were part of the original hall.
Orton Hall, which is now called Petty Hall, is in the middle of
the village, and very much as it was 300 years ago : what is now known
as Orton Hall being a modern house, the residence of Colonel Burn, the
grandson of the Historian.
There is a description of the house in an article on Manorial Hal's,
by Dr. Taylor, in "Transactions of Cumberland and Westmorland
Antiquarian Society," vol. xii., p. 19, from which I am enabled, by the
courtesy of Mr. Wilson, the Secretary, to copy the wood-cut of the stone
panel over the door. The initials are those of George and Margaret
Birkbeck.
One of the mullioned windows still has the old glazing in diamond
lead-work, also " G." and " B." on the corbel heads. The old oak door,
with its iron-work, still has its oak bar running horizontally in a tunnel.
46 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
One side of the kitchen is taken up by the great open chimney-arch with a
little square spy-hole window. Dr. Gibson, the present owner of Petty
Hall, shewed me a piece of oak panel taken from an old pew in Orton
Church, on which is carved ^p^' and below *^'r. ^' No doubt the former
ire the initials of Brian Birkbeck and his wife Elizabeth, and the latter
those of Christopher Petty and his wife Elizabeth, their daughter and
heiress.
Thomas Birkbeck, with whom commences the following Pedigree,
certified by Dugdale in his "Visitation of Yorkshire, a.d. 1666," must
have been the second son of George and Margaret. The Wharton ot
Kirkby There Pedigree in the " Visitation of Westmorland "' has Anne,
eldest daughter of Thomas Wharton, married first Thomas Birkbeck of
Weston, CO. Westmorland, and secondly Miles Philipson of Brough,
CO. Westmorland ; and in the will of Margaret, the widow of George
Birkbeck of Coatflat, there is a bequest to " George Birkbeck, the son
of my late son Thomas Birkbeck, all my sheep at Brough which are with
his fither Mr. Myles Philipson." The relationship " of the family of
Morton Tynmouth " must have been very remote, if not mythical. The
Rev. Edward Birkbeck was a Puritan Divine and Rector of Staveley, where
he married Anne Kay 4 July, 1609, but she is described as a widow in the
Staveley Register; he died 7 January, 1635-6. The Staveley Register
also contains entries of the birth of his children and the death of both
wives. His eldest son, the Rev. Thomas Birkbeck (baptized 28 November,
561 1), was also a Puritan, and Curate of Headingley 1634, Curate ot
Sheffield 1635, Vicar of Sheffield 1644, and Rector of Ackworth 1646
until the Restoration, when he had to retire from Ackworth in favour of
the former Rector, who had been displaced by the Puritans ; he died
S July, 1674, buried at Sheffield." His son Samuel was ordained at
1 Dugdale's " Visitation of Westmorland, a.d. 1666" (Jos. Foster), p. 142.
^ Hunter's " History of Hallamshire " (A. Gatty), p. 270.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 47
Norwich, and instituted Rector of Barningham in Norfolk 1678. The
Rev. Peter Birkbeck, the youngest son of Edward (baptized 14 February,
1614-15), was Curate of Kippax 1638, Vicar of Ledsham 1645, and
probably instituted to the Rectory of Casdeford 1662. The baptisms ot
his children appear in the Register of Ledsham.
birkbeck of ^Ijtffiiflti anti Casitltforti, ro* ^ork.*
Arms. — Quarterly : i and 4, Argent, a fess between two lions' heads erased in chief and a
L'oar's head in base gules, Birkbeck; 2 and 3, Argent, two lendlets sable, in tin-
dexter chief a mullet gules, Kay. An escutcheon of pretence :- i and 4, Argent, a
saltire vert, a crescent for difference ; 2 and 3 . . . .
Thomas Birkbeck of Orton=pAnne, daughter of
in com. Westmorl. of the I Thomas Wharton
family of Morton-Tinmouth Esq''' of Kirkbv
in com. Pal. Dunelm. i Thore.
I
Richard=pAi:
Nelson
of Al-
tofts.
I
Robert
Birk-
beck.
I. Anne, daugh-=
ter & sole heire
of William Kay
of Woodsome, a
3^'' son of the
family of Kay of
that place.
=Edward Birkbeck of =2. Bar-
Orton Batchelour of bara,
Divinity, Domestic daughter
Chaplain to John of ... .
Lord Darcy, Fellow
of Trinity Colledg in
Cambridge, & Rector
of Staveley in com.
Derby.
, daughter of
. . . . Beck with of
Aghton in co.
Ebor.
Thomas^^Alice, daughter of
Kay.
Nelson
of Al-
tofts ir
com.
Ebor.
Christopher SaN
ton of Dunningby
in CO. Ebor, Sur-
veyor of the Maps
of England, and
heire to her
brothers, they dy-
ing without issue.
1
I. Cotton=Anne
= 2. William
1
Thomas Birk-=f Sarah,
1
Edward
i
Peter Birk-^
1
pMarv,
Faram of
Walesbyof
beck of Shef-
daugh-
Birk-
beck,Rector
sole
Doncas-
Notting-
field in com.
ter of
beck
of Castle-
daugh-
ter in co.
ham.
Ebor., aet. $^
James
died s. p.
ford in CO.
ter and
Ebor.
ann. 13 Aug.
Cres-
Ebor., set.
heire.
1666.
wick 0
Sheffie
f
d.
51 ann. 13
Aug. 1666.
1 1
1 1
Samuell Birk-
1 1
Thomas died
1 1 1
Thomas Birkbeck
1
Mary
Ill 1
Barbara. Elizabeth
beck, aet. 16
an infant.
18 Ann. 13 Aug.
=
— d. an
ann. 13 Aug.
ann. 1666.
V/m
Jane. infant.
1666.
Peter d. ar
Smith-
infant.
Edward Birkbeck.
son of
Sarah.
Sarah Birk-
Meth-
Died young.
beck.
John d. an infant.
ley.
1 From Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, a.d. 1666, fo. 312.
~ This escutcheon is here inserted as belonging to Peter Birkbeck of Castleford.
48 THE BIRKBECKS OK WESTMORLAND.
I have traced, as far as I can, the numerous other families at Orton,
but to tell their history would take too much space here. Many younger
sons migrated to London and other places.
At one time or another there were Birkbecks established in almost
every parish in the north and east of Westmorland, and in many
parishes In the south of Cumberland and the north of Yorkshire ; indeed
they were scattered over a large part of the latter county at an early date.
I have also found the name in various parts of England, many instances
being Rectors or Vicars, but in other cases there was not this reason for
their having migrated so far from the ancestral home. London naturally
attracted many. I have met with a few instances on the Continent and
in ships of war, but only once in Ireland, viz., the grant by Henry VIIL to
George Byrckbecke, merchant, of the Monastery of Dundalk, the Rectories
of Maudelens, Dundalk, and Hagarde, co. Louth, with lands in Dundalk,
the Raith, and Drumysken.'
We meet with a great number of Westmorland family names scattered
over England whose ancestors had probably left their unproductive native
county in search of their fortunes, Westmorland and Cumberland having
been the poorest of the English counties. In the assessment for ship-money,
A.D. 1636, Westmorland was only assessed at ;(,6oo, the lowest of any county
— even Cornwall was ;^5500 — and at the assessment in 1649 Westmorland
was only put at CSAli o^*^ o^ ^ *^°tal of ^400,000 for the whole of England.*
The following list of places where Birkbecks were settled, although
by no means a complete one, will give some idea how widely they were
scattered : —
CAMBRIDGE.
Wisbech.
CORNWALL.
Plymouth.
1 " Public Records in Ireland," Report VII., Appendix, p. 86, No. 534.
~ " History of Agriculture and Prices in England " (J. E. T. Rogers), vol. v., p. 105.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
49
CUMBERLAND.
Carlisle.
Great Salkeld.
Edenhall.
Skelton.
Kirkiaiid.
Whitehaven.
KirkoswakJ.
Wigton.
Langwathby.
Workington.
Penrith.
DERBY.
Cliesteiilekl.
i
DURHAM.
Staveley.
Great Chilton.
Haughton-le- Field.
Darlington.
Headlam.
Gainford.
ESSEX.
VVanstead.
HUNTINGDON.
Huntingdon.
KENT.
Goodneston.
Maidstone.
Gravesend.
Rochester.
Horton Kirby.
Stockbury.
LANCASHIRE
Orniskirk.
LINCOLN.
Frythorpe.
1
LONDON.
Lincoln.
Barnard's Tnn.
St. Clement Danes.
City of London.
St. Giles-in-the-Fields.
Christchnrch, Nc
wgate.
St. James, Clerkenwell
Kinsbury.
St. Martin-in-the-Fieid
Gray's Inn.
St. Mary-at-Hill.
Great St. Helen's.
St. Nicholas Aeon.
Mincing Lane.
Soiithwark.
Old Jewry.
Staple's Inn.
St. Andrew's, H
ilborn.
Westminster.
St. Bartholomew
the Great.
Wild Street.
H
50 THE BIRKBFXKS O!' WESTMORLAND.
MIDDLESEX.
Edmonton
Hounslow
Uxbridi
NORFOLK.
Great Riburgh. | West DiTL-hani
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Morjiftli.
sford.
NOTTINGF^AM.
I Newark.
Akiborough.
Ipbwich.
SOMERSET.
Bristol.
SUFFOLK.
SUSSEX.
Lewes.
Ajiplel))', St. Lawrenec
Appleby, St. Mlebael.
Asby.
Askhani.
Bampton.
Barton.
Brough.
Brougham.
Clifton.
Crosby Ravensworth.
Dufton.
Kendal.
Kirkbv Lonsdale.
WES'IMORLAND.
Kirkbv Siephei:.
j Kirkbv Thore.
i Long Marton.
Low"tlHT.
Morland.
Great Musgrave.
Newbiggin.
Orton.
Ravcnstoncdale.
Shap.
Temjile Sowerh\-,
Windermere.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
YORKSHIRE.
Ackworth.
Leeds.
Aldbomugli.
i
iMiddlcton T
Askrigg.
•
Milker.
Aysgarth.
Normanton.
Bradford.
Osgardby.
Castleford.
Pontefract.
Denton.
Ripley.
Enibsay.
Ripon.
Featham.
Ronaldskirk
Forcet.
Sedbergh.
Garsdale.
Settle.
Grinton.
Sheffield.
Halifax.
Skclton.
Helparty.
Skipton.
Horton.
Stainmore.
Hull.
Stan wick.
Ingleton.
York.
Knaresborough.
IRELAND.
Dundalk.
Antwerp, Ghent, Marseilles, Nice, Rome, Brooklyn (U.S.A.), Mexico.
The following lists of Clergy, etc., are also not as complete as they
might he, only comprising the names I have met with, as I have not
made any systematic search for the purpose : —
CLERGY.
.\.D.
Adam Birkkeck. Rect<jr of Croconibe, Somerset.
Ch.j^ri.fs Birkbhck (son Vicar of St. Nicholas, Rochester.
of Charles, of London). Vicar of Stockbury, Kent.
Canon of Rochester.
CuTHBERT BiRKBECK. St. .John the Apostle,
Ousebrighead, York.
CuTHBERTBiRKBECK(son Rector of Loveston, Pembroke.
of Edward, of Hornbv). Vicar of Lamphev, Pembroke.
Edward Birkbkck (son Rector of Staveley, Derby.
of Thomas, of Orton).
Instituted 1520.
„ 1721.
1722.
Will 1530.
Instituted i.-^yo.
Before 1609.
THE BIRKBECKS OK WESTMORLAND.
Edward Birkbeck (son Rector of Klvington, Yorks. Instituted
of Edward, of Sedbergh).
Hugh Birkiikck. Uflord, SuHolk.
James Birkbeck. Chaplain ((|uerv of Applci-v, West-
morland).
JeffravBirkbkck (sonof Rector of Great MuSi^rave, West- Instituted
Ilenry.ofEamont Bridge). niorland.
.loHN (BiiRHAcn). Prebend of Lincoln.
John (Buri'.ach). Vice-Chaneeilor of Oxford Uni-
JoHN Birkbeck.
John [jIkkbeck.
Paul Bikki
I'eT1-,R BlRKIiECK (son of
Eduard, of Stavelcv).
RieHAi^D Bikki'.eck.
Richard Birkbeck.
Vicar of (ireat C'anlicld, Essex.
Rector of (ireat Mnsgravc, West- Ob.
niorland
Vicar of Aldburgli, SuHolk. Institn
Rector of Broniswcll, SuD'olk.
Rector of Ufford, SuHolk.
Vicar of [.edsbain, V.irks.
Rector of Castleford, \orks.
X'icar of llenstridge, Somerset.
Rector of Baverstock, Wilts.
Robert (de Buriiach). X'icar of Langford, Notts, and I're-
bendof Eincoln. Exchanged for
Chapels of Bokensfield and New-
stead ill Diocese of Canterbiirv.
Samuel Birkbeck (son Rector of Barningham, Norfolk. Institul
ofThomas, of Sheffield).
Simon Birkbeck (son of \'icar of Gilling and Korcet, Yorks. „
Thomas, of Hornby).
Thomas Birkbeck (son Vicar of Sheffield, Yorks. ,,
of Edward, of Sheffield). Rector of Ackworth, Yorks.
Wii.i.iAM Birkbeck. Vicar of Orton, Westmorland.
PRIESTS.
K!d\vard Birkbeck (son of Thomas, of Hornby), ordained at St. Omer
Gervase BlRKIiECK (sou of Thoiiias, of Hornbv), ordainetl at Rome
Henry Birkbeck, ordained at Valladolitl .....
John Birkebeke, Monk ami Canon at Carlisle ....
John Birkbeck, his will at Rome . ......
Mr. |]irkbeck, Priest at York (probably identical uitb the next)
William Birkbeck, oniaincd at Douai
'.519-
15^9-
^395-
1435-
T545-
1577-
1590.
1595-
'599-
i'543-
1662.
^579-
1604.
1351-
1678.
1617.
1644.
164,^.
1453-
1 70S.
1710.
1610.
1538.
1 58 8.
158.5-
1581.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. S3
John Birkebelce, the Monk at Carlisle, was granted an annuity of
£6 13s. 4d. per annum b)- Henry MIL a.d. 1539-40, after the dissolution
of the Monastery of Carlisle, where he had long been Canon. ^ It is to
be hoped that the shameful accusations were false which were brought
against him and other monks at Carlisle in the Monastic Comperta,''^
supposed to be fragments of the discoveries made by Cromwell's Visitors
in 1536, whose reports were the grounds for the abolition of the monasteries
by Henry VIII. It is alleged that they manufactured charges to justify
Cromwell and his master in their intended plunder of the monasteries.
I cannot be certain who Henry and William in the above list were.
The late Mr. Joseph Gillow of Woodland, Bowdon, Cheshire, informed me
that the MS. Diary of the English College of St. Albans at Valladolid, in his
possession, records that Henry Birbeck of the diocese of Carlisle was
admitted into the College 16 November, 1609, took the missionary oaths
22 June, 1610, and died in the College in September, 161 1. The Douay
Diaries^ have the following entries relative to William Birkbeck : —
An. 1.58 1, Ofdiuati sunt (iiiler alia) Guiiichmis Birckbeckus, Dunelnien (p. ro).
An. 15S3, ill Angii.un niissi— Guilichnus Birkbcchus (p. 29).
An. 15S1, 5 Aug., tx Anglia venit D. Birbecke, Cantabrigiensis (p. t8o).
(" D." signitic'd Deacon, sec note ]i. 184, op. cit.)
An. 1581, 21 Sep., D. Birkbeeke, qui subdiaeoni taeti sunt (p. iSj).
An. 1581, 21 Dec., Ordinati profccti sunt undecini e.x nostris redieruntque
ad pi-esbyteratum promoti octo videlicet— D. Birkbeche (and 7 otliers) (p. 184).
An. 158 1, Jan. 8, primitias ceJebrarunt . . . . D. Birkbeeke (p. 184).
An. 1583, Ap. 31, deeesserunt D. Guij. Birkbeeke (p. 195).
Au. 1590, Oct. 7, hoc fere tempore accessimus variis ex loeis in Anglian)
pmfectos esse D. Guilielmum Birket sacerdotes, qui et antea Anglic sacranienta
adniinistrarunt (in Index it is Birkbeck, not Birket) (p. 236).
An. 1583, A p. 21, eatalogus quoriuidani Sacerdotuni tjui a Collegio Duaceno
seu Rheniensi in Angliam missi sunt — -D. Guil. Birkbeck (p. 262).
1 Augmentation, Misc. Books, vol. ccxxxiv., fo. 374''.
^ Cott. MSS., Cleopatra, E. iv., p. 147.
* Records of the English Catholics (Diaries of the English College, Douay), vol. i.
(British Museum, 2214'').
54 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMOliLAND.
Mr. Gillow possessed a copy of the very scarce 1598 edition of the
"Thesaurus Litaniarum " by E. Thonuis Saiilius, S. J., with the autographs
of " Henricus Byrkbeck " ami " Gul. Byrbeck, Sacerdotis Aiigh," also
" Henricus Birkbetius ab Edwardo Birkbetio ;" he is convinced that these
were both Hornby Birkbecks. If so, Henry may have been the second
Harri of the pedigree certified by Dwnn (p. 20), and I have found no other
reference to him ; possibly he v/as the Henry Birkbeck ordained at
Valladolid. Harri being the son of Edward, the Vi'ords " Henricus
Birkbetius ab Edv/ardo Birkbetio " are certainly strong presumptive evidence.
Henry v/as of the diocese of Carlisle, in which of course Hornby was, but
William was " Dunelmen," from Durham (he is also described as " Canta-
brigiensis "). Although William is a common name in some of the other
Birkbeck families, it is markedly absent in the Hornby pedigree. William
was a more characteristic name among the Mallerstang Birkbecks than in any
of the other families, but in the seventeenth century the latter vvere certainly
Protestants. Whoever he may have been, William, ordameci Priest at
Douay in 1581, was on the mission at York in 1585 (no doubt the
" Mr. Birkbeck, the ghostly father, a godly man,"' in the list of [iriests),
apprehended there for being a priest, committed to the castle at Hull in
August of that year, and exiled ;"' but in 1590 risked his life by returning
on the English mission. He was certainly living after 1598, his signature
being in a book printed in that year ; indeed, from the two signatures it
looks as though he were living in 1610, Henry not having been "sacerdos"
till that year. On a fly-leaf of the " Thesaurus" is the sentence, "Inimici
hominis domestic! ejus," apparentl)- in the same handwriting as that of
Henricus Byrkbeck, which, if the writer were one of the Hornby Birkbecks,
may be an allusion to the religious differences in the fiimily, his brother
1 " Rucrds of the !• nglish I'nivinct'," Soc-it-ty of Jesus (H. Foley), vol. iii., p. 253.
- Rill., vol. vii., part i., p. igS ct scq. ; and " Troubles of our Catholic ForeftUhers "
(Morris), Third Series, p. 272.
THF. BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
55
Cuthbert having been a clergyman in the Reformed Church, and his nephew
Simon a strong Protestant Divine.
The following were graduates at the Universities : —
OXFORD.
A.D.
University. John BurbacHj Professor of Sacred
'I'heology ; Vice-Chancellor of
University. 1435, 1436
Balliol College. Chaklks Birkheck. B.A. 1710
Oueea's College. Adam Birkbeck (Fellow). M.A. 150S
„ Anihony Birkebecke (Fellow). „ 1518
„ HUMFREV BVRKBECKK. 1 583
„ SVMOND BlRKBECK. M.A. 1607
John Birkbeck. B.A. 1534
CAMBRIDGE.
Caius & Gouville College. Geoffrkv Birkbecke.
Pembroke College. Paul Birkiseck.
Sidney College. Samuel Birbkche.
St. John's College. William Birkbeck (Fellow)
„ Edward Birkbeck (Fellow).
ADMISSIONS TO GRAY'S INN.
Thomas Birkbeck of Barnard's Inn ... — 157a
William Birkbeck of Staple's Inn ... 8 Mav 1577
Richard Birkbecke of Kuaresborough, eo. York . ::g October 1605
•Richard Birkbeck, son of Richard, late of Morton
Tynniouth, co. Durham, Esq. . . . -15 March 1^538-9
Thomas Birkbeck, son and heir of Georgi:, oFOrton,
CO. Westmorland, Gentleman .... 20 February 1654-3
In the sixteenth century there were several famiHes of Birkbecks in the
parish of Penrith, one or two of which were in a good position. The
Christian names in one of these families residing at Eamont Bridge, which is
two miles from Hornby, but on the Penrith or Cumberland side of the
river, are so curiously the same as those of the Mallerstang Birkbecks that
I annex a short account of them for two or three generations. It will he
B.A.
J579
M.A.
1591
;,
167S
„
i66y
„
1739
56 THE BIRKBECKS OK WESTMOREAND.
seen that most of the names in the Eamont Bridge family — John, Henry,
Jeffrey, William, and Roger (Shellet, who had some connection with Henry),
Margaret, Isabel, Frances, and Agnes — are also in the Mallerstang pedigree
within the same half century, leaving only four names in the former family
unrepresented at Mallerstang ; and in other Penrith families apparently
connected with the one at Eamont Bridge appear Richard, James, Helen,
and Elizabeth, also Mallerstang names. Some of the names are constant in
both families for generations, and Roger at Mallerstang is the only instance
of the name I have met with among the Birkbecks. The Rev. Jeffrey
Birkbeck owned some property at Caber,' which, as well as Mallerstang, is
in the parish of Kirkby Stephen, and his son John also owned land in
South Stainmoor,^ also near Mallerstang. With the marked similarity of
the names it certainly looks as it there had been some connection between
the families, but I have been unable to trace it.
HENRY BIRKBECK of Eamont Bridge, Penrith, was assignee of
Roger Shellet, who had a grant of the avoidaiice of Great Musgrave Rectory,
A.D. 1558, from Bishop Oglethorpe.^ He died, apparently at Penrith,
18 May, 1577,'' and was buried at Great Musgrave 20 Ma)', 15^7. His
effects were administei-etl by William Birkbeck of Ciray's Inn.'^ William
Birkbeck was admitted to Gray's Inn 8 May, 1577. I cannot say that
he was a relation ot Heniy's, but the tact ot his administrating the
effects of the latter and presenting Jeffrey to the living looks like it ;
his possible connection with the Mallerstang Birkbecks is mentioned later.
Heiu-y Birkbcck's widow Elioner was buried at Penrith iS March, 1586-7,
and her will, dated 10 March, was proved 20 April, 1587. His brother,
the Rev. John Birkbeck, was Rector ot Great Musgrave, Westmorland,
and buried there 19 October, 1577.
1 Feet of Fines, Westmorland, Hilary ,59 Elizabeth.
- Survey of the Barony of Appleby, Appleby Castle.
■5 " History of Westmorland and Cumberland," vol. i., p. 589. ^ Penrith Register.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 57
Henry Birkbeck had issue two sons and five daughters, all mentioned
in the will of his widow : —
JOHN, inherited under his mother's will all her lands and leases to
his heirs for ever. He had two sons, John and William.
JEFFERAYE, vide infra.
ISABELL, married 8 January, 1570-71, James Thomson, who was
also mentioned in the will of his mother-in-law.
MABEL, possibly baptized at Penrith 25 October, 1558; but there
was another Mabel, the daughter of Henry Birkbeck of Bishopsgate,
Penrith (and mentioned in his will), who married Sir Christopher Symson,
Vicar of Bampton, 14 June, 1578, and the entry in the Register may refer
to her. Sir Christopher may have been a son of Christopher Symson, who
married Elizabeth Birkbeck of the Hornby family in the first half of the
sixteenth century (p. 1 5).
The prefix " Sir " was generally applied to clergymen who had not taken
a university degree.
GRACE, baptized at Penrith 27 August, 1561.
FRANCES, baptized at Penrith 28 March, 1563, and married at
Penrith 25 June, 1581, to William Rogerson.
MARGARET.
The REV. JEFFREY BIRKBECK (son of Henry, vide supra) was
presented to the Rectory of Great Musgrave by William Birkbeck of Gray's
Inn, as assignee of Henry Birkbeck, on the death of the former Rector, his
uncle John, in 1577. He was admitted to Caius and Gonville College,
Cambridge, a^t. 20, 5 October, 1575, and ordained at Ely, Deacon 1577,
and Priest 1578-9. He married, i July, 1584, Margaret I have
the entry of his burial at St. Helen's, York, 2 August, 1597. His will is
dated 16 July, 1599, and proved at York 10 January, 1600. Either the
date of the will or of the burial is wrongly copied ; in both cases he is
described as of Great Musgrave, Cleric.
58 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Jeffi-ey Birkbeck had issue : —
Henry, heir by his father's will. Agnes.
Thomas, baptized at Great Isabell, bapt. 13 August, 1587.
Musgrave 6 April, 1589; Bridgett.
not mentioned in will. Frances.
The will also mentions separately a son Anthony, who was probably
illegitimate, as the will of Anthony Birkbeck alias Dixon of Musgrave,
dated 26 September, 1597, and proved 5 March, 1598, gives to Bridget and
Frances Birkbeck ;^20, bequeathed to him by JefFray Birkbeck.
In 1598 the plague carried ofF 312 of the inhabitants of Penrith
Parish during July, August, and September, the entries of their burial
in the Register being marked P ; six of the entries so distinguished are
those of Birkbecks.
( 59 )
MALLERSTANG.
The Settle Birkbecks are descended, as we shall see, from an ancestor who
migrated to Settle at the close of the seventeenth century from Deepgill in
Mallerstang. The latter is a valley about six miles in length, in the parish
of Kirkby Stephen, and a few miles to the southward of that town. The
river Eden rises just over the borders of Yorkshire on the south, and flows
through the valley. The precipitous cliffs of Wild Boar Fell, 2323 feet
above the sea, form the western boundary of the valley, and on the eastern
side are the Yorkshire hills at the head of Swaledale. According to the
Ordnance Map, Mallerstang contains 6355 acres of moor and 1965 acres of
enclosed land ; the latter is exclusively grass, the valley lying too high for
corn, the lowest part being over 700 feet above the sea. In old times it
was a forest or chase, and has never been disforested, although the deer,
which formerly were numerous, appear to have become extinct about
150 years ago. There are still a considerable number of red deer in
Martindale Forest, near UUswater, which, with those on Exmoor, are, I
believe, the only red deer still existing in a perfectly wild state in England.
At the petty sessions held at Appleby, Michaelmas, 1666, Thomas Knewstub,
Ralph and Henry Shaw, Thomas Whitfield, Adam Fothergill, Robert Grey>
Richard Heseltine, and Henry Dixon were convicted of killing a deer
within the forest of Mallerstang belonging to Anne, Countess Dowager of
Pembroke, and each of them fined £20 according to the statute* — ;£i6o in
1 Hill's MSS., vol. iii., p. 405.
So THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
all, and equivalent to over ^^looo at the present time, for one deer ! Some
proprietors of Scotch deer forests might envy the English game laws of
those days.
The inhabitants were sturdy " Statesmen," as the Westmorland yeomen
landowners were called, and they shewed themselves well able to hold their
own in long contests with their lords of the manor. Anne, Countess of
Pembroke, found them very stifFnecked, and certainly was not over-scrupulous
in her dealings with one of them. Captain Robert Atkinson became her
tenant in the middle of the seventeenth century as owner of Blue Grass in
Mallerstang, which, as will be seen later (p. 79), he purchased in 1648 from
Henry Birkbeck, a Royalist. He had been commander of the Common-
wealth garrison in Appleby Castle, and forced the townsmen to elect a
Roundhead Mayor, " coming down from the castle with his musketeers,
and clapped his hand on his sword, saying, ' I'll do it by this.' "'
In 1663 the former partisans of the Commonwealth, who were numerous
in the neighbourhood, attempted to stir up against the Restoration an
insurrection, which was known as the Kaber Rigg Plot. Kaber is three
miles on the other side of Kirkby Stephen from Mallerstang. Captain
Atkinson appears to have been the leader of the rising. The State Papers
contain the examinations and confessions of the conspirators, who hoped to
secure Appleby Castle as well as Hull, and believed they had a party in the
garrison who would deliver up Carlisle ; but the chief rising was to have
been in London. They were taken in arms on 12 October, 1663, and
Atkinson sent to the Tower. The following year he was removed
to Appleby Castle to be tried. The Countess of Pembroke's diary has the
following entry, a.d. 1664: —
And y= 20"' day of y' August being Saturday, in y'^ morning did y= 2 Judges
of Assize for y-^ Northern Circuite, S'' Tho. Twisden and S"' Christopher l\irner,
eume hither from Carlisle & Newcastle & those parts to keep y° assizes here at
' " History of Westmorland and Cumberland," vol. i., p. 3i,S-
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 6i
Appleby for y^ said County as usually, ^ they lay here in y' Appleby Cas for 3 nights
together. Judge Twisden in y^ Barons Chamber, (^ Judge Turner in y<= best room
in Caesars Tower, in which time they kept y" assizes in y'^ moot hall in Appleby
Town, where Rob' Atkinson, one of my Tenants in Mallerstang, <^ y' had
been my great enemy, was condemned to be hanged, drawn, & quartered, as a
Traitor to y** King for having had a hand in y" late plott &' conspiracy, so he was
executed accordingly y i" day of y" month following.^
So Atkinson was executed on i September, but we have " the warrant
to Sir Thomas Davidson, High Sheriff of Durham, to respite Robert
Atkinson, condemned to death for high treason," dated 31 August, 1664.^
Of course it would be too late to reach Westmorland the next day. The
Countess was said to have set her mind on his death, and as High Sheriff to
have hurried the execution, so that any respite or pardon might not interfere
with the sentence. There is still a tradition in Mallerstang that shortly after
the execution a King's officer arrived at Stainmore on his way from the
south, and on being informed that Captain Atkinson had been executed,
said, " Why, I have his reprieve in my pocket."
Blue Grass is the property of Miss Atkinson, a direct descendant
of Captain Atkinson, and has been In the possession of the family ever
since his death. The original house has been pulled down, and a new one
erected on the site, but the barn looks as If It might have been built by my
ancestor In the sixteenth century.
In an account of the rising. Sir Daniel Fleming of Rydal, who was a
bitter persecutor of the Quakers, writes to Williamson, the Secretary of
State, that he had raised the train bands and kept strict duty three days till
the design was quashed, and secured twenty who had been officers of the
King, ejected ministers, or leading Quakers, etc. If mischief arises now, it
will be from non-licensed ministers or from Quakers, of whom there are too
many In this part of the county joining to Lancashire, where George Fox
and most of his cubs have long been kenneled. They keep weekly meetings
1 British Museum copy, p. 171 (Harleian MSS. 6177).
- State Papers (Domestic), Charles II., vol. ci.
62 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
within eight miles of each other through all this county, if not through
England. They will do mischief most resolutely if Fox or any other of
their grand speakers dictate it.^ One of the informers, however, says on
the contrary that the Quakers gave the first notice in the county of the
plot.^ No doubt Sir D. Fleming's hatred of the Quakers made him ready
to think them capable of any evil, but Atkinson himself stated under
examination that he sent a man to the Quakers in Orton parish to desire
they would send into the Bishoprick (Durham) to know how forward they
were, who brought word to Kirkby Stephen they were all ready, and would
lend him sixty horse on the day.''
In the Kirkby Stephen Parish Register there is the following entry,
just about the date when Captain Atkinson bought Blue Grass from Henry
BIrkbeck : —
164S, September 37 E^° Buryed Riehard Darby of Kirkby Stephen, wlio was
slaine by Robert Atkinson of Bluegrass in Mallerst. He slew him in tbe next
bottome Ciosse above Pendragon Castle in Mallerstang upon the Lorde Day in the
Afternoone.
Tradition says that it was a duel, and that they fought with swords.
Mallerstang belonged In the twelfth century, along with the barony of
Westmorland, to Sir Hugh de Morville, the gentlest of the four knights
who murdered Thomas a Becket. He is said not to have struck a blow
himself.* His name is given to a cone-shaped hill on the east boundary of
Mallerstang — " Sir Hugh's Seat." After the sacrilege his lands were
forfeited, and granted with the shrievalty to his nephew William de
Veteripont. From the Veterlponts towards the end of the thirteenth
century they descended through the female side to the de Cliffords, whose
successor. Lord Hothfield, is now Lord of the Manor. In the first year
1 State Papers (Domestic), Charles II., vol. Ixxxiii., p. 98.
- Ihid., vol. Ixxxiv., 19 November, 1663.
^ Ihid., vol. xcviii., p. 80.
* " Memorials of Canterbury " (Dean Stanley), pp. 70 and 80.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 6:^,
of the reign of Elizabeth, Mallerstang provided at the County Muster " 30
Footmen furnished with Jacks or stel cotes and stele cappes, Bowes 1 6 and
Billes 14," while Kirkby Stephen itself only sent 26 in all.* In 16 19
Francis, last Earl of Cumberland, confirmed the tenants of the manor in
their holdings at the ancient rents, which were almost nominal, by a deed
(more fully quoted on p. 77), they paying £i'j6j 14s. 6d.,^t that time equal
in value to about ;^i 5,000 now, shewing that the tenants were men of
substance ; but they lost the whole, as although Francis had succeeded to
the earldom on the death in 1605 of his elder brother George, the third
Earl, he had to relinquish the estates of which he had taken possession to
Anne, daughter and heiress of the third Earl, after protracted law suits, in
which James I. tried in vain to influence her.
The Countess of Pembroke refers to this in her Diary : —
The 18 M 30 of January, 1617, as y" year begins on new years day {1617-18),
I was brought before K. James in Whitehall to give my consent to the award w''
he then intended to make, <5# did afterwards perform, concerning all the lands of
mine inheritance, w'' I utterly refused, &' was thereby afterwards brought to many
S^ great troubles. But notwithstanding my refusal, y= 14 of March following, at
which time y" s"" K. James took his journey towards Scotland, did my s'' Lord (her
first husband the Earl of Dorset) sign S^ seal y' award in Great Dorsett house, by
which he resigned to Fras. Earl of Cumberland & Henry Ld. Clifford his son & to
their heirs male all his right in the lands of mine inheritance, which brought many
troubles upon me, y' most part of y^ time after y' I lived his wife, but notwithstanding
those great and innumerable difficulties <^ opposition God protected &f inabled me
to pass through them all (Ps, xxxii. 8 ; Isa. xxx. 21 ; Jer. xlii. 3 ; Ps. Ixxi.).^
Francis, Earl of Cumberland, died in 1640, and his son Henry in 1643,
but the unfortunate tenants continued the contest in the law courts, and
were only finally defeated in 1658, when the Countess says in her Diary,
after describing the eviction of a tenant : —
Within a while after I did lease out y'' s'^ James Walker's house (^ tenement
to Jolin Salkcid of Brough for 21 years at a yearly Rack Rent, y'= said being held
^ State Papers (Domestic), Elizabeth, 1559, vol. ii., p. 36.
~ British Museum copy, p. 124 (Harleian MSS. 6177).
64 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
before at a fineable Rent, as other Lands <^ Tenements in y s"" County of
Westmorland are held of me, <^ by that means I altered y' Tenure of y^ land which
was y^ principal thing I aimed at in my suites in Law with my Westmorland
Tenants as being a greater benefit ^ advantage to me <^ my posterity & to all y^
Landlords &" Tenants in y' County (Isai. xxx. ver. 21 ; Jer. xlii. ver. 3 ; Vs. xxxiv.
ver. 8).
Long after the death of the Countess the tenants succeeded, in the
year 1739, after a long contest in Chancery, in regaining their ancient
custom of tenant-right.
I copied the following extract from an old MS. which I found among
a quantity of deeds and documents relating to Mallerstang, kindly sent to
me by Mr. Torbock, the owner of Outhgill in Mallerstang. The MS. had
the date 161 7, but from the handwriting I should say it was written
considerably later, and I conjecture that the " old writing " referred to was
dated 161 7 : —
When King James was perswaiding Lady Anne to take the 20,000 pounds
said what a fine fortune it was ; she said, what was it, she had a field in the north
worth 20,000 pounds ; he said, if ever he went to Scotland again he would see it.
Suppose Whinfield Park with all its w^ood on. I suppose this old writing is the
award or concerning it of King James between Francis Earl of Cumberland and
his niece Anne, she to have 20,000, History of Wesmorland say 15,000, concerning
the agreement Earl Francis made with the Tenants of Westmorland to purchase
their fines to a sevenpenny fine for which they paid about 27,000 and took the Earl
of Dorset's estate as security if Anne his niece should refuse to sign when of age;
she did refuse. King James to persuade her took her on his knee, she told him
he might cut of her hand if he pleased and make it sign otherwise she never would,
he kicked her of his knee as reported. Earl Dorsett estate was entailed and the
Tenants lost their money.
Anne, Countess of Pembroke, daughter of George, third Earl of
Cumberland, was the noblest lady in the annals of Westmorland, and her
memory is still cherished there. She was born in 1591, and only 14 at her
father's death. She hated the Court saying that if she went there at all she
must " go with blinkers." A staunch Royalist, she thoroughly despised
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 65
Cromwell, saying, " What ! does he imagine that I, who refused to submit
to King James, will submit to him ?" She rebuilt her castles at Appleby,
Brougham, Pendragon, Brough, and Skipton, living in a royal style, and
governing her princely estates with the strength and dignity of a great feudal
ruler. One of her " progresses," or removals from one casde to another, is
described in her Diary : " My women attending me in my coach drawn w*"
6 horses and my menservants on horseback and a great many of y= chief
gentry of y° county and of my neighbours and tenants accompanying me in
y' my removal."^ At times these removals were made in her horse litter,
her gendewomen attending her in the coach drawn with six horses. Being
hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland she used to ride on a white charger
before the judges to open the assizes.
The ruins of Pendragon Casde are close to the high road in Maller-
stang, standing well above the river Eden ; it was popularly supposed to
have been first built by Uther Pendragon, a legendary British king, about
A.D. 500, Uther being the Saxon name Ughtred, and Pendragon British,
Pen = head, Dragon = chief or warrior. He was the fabled father of King
Arthur, who is said to have fought batdes and held jousts in Inglewood Forest,
Cumberland. King Arthur's Round Table in the parish of Brougham,
three miles from Hornby, is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments
Act, the only case in Westmorland in which protection is given by that
Act. In an interesting account of the history and traditions of Mallerstang
Forest, the Rev. W. Nichols says, on the authority of that good antiquarian
Canon Simpson, the late Vicar of Kirkby Stephen, that to this day the ghost
of Uther Pendragon is said to appear on Shap (or Birkbeck) Fell, shewing
how thorougMy his existence has entered into the traditions of the people.
An old couplet still quoted,
Let Uter Pendragon do what he can,
Eden will run where Eden ran,
^ British Museum copy, fo. 195 (Harleian MSS. 6177).
66 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
seems to refer to an attempt to turn the course of the river Eden (which
runs just below the castle) into a moat round the castle. Vestiges of a
moat are still to be seen, but very much above the level of the river. Uther
Pendragon was famous as a worker of miracles, but to make water flow up
hill was too much for him.
The first mention of the castle in historic times is in the long list of
Clifford lands in the Inquisition on the death of Robert de Clifford in the
year 1314 : " Kirkby Stephen Manor, there is there in the Vale of
Mallerstang one castle which is called Pendragon, which is in the
Hundred of Harcla, and one vaccara there which it renders by the year
6 shillings."'
Robert, Lord de Clifford, was killed at Bannockburn, and his son
Roger was attainted of treason in 1322 as an adherent of Thomas, Earl of
Lancaster, but afterwards pardoned. He died unmarried, but there was 3
romance as to one Julian of the Bower, for whom he built a house called
Julian's Bower, close to Hornby, which was still standing in the time of
Anne, Countess of Pembroke, with its " wainscotted hall, hung round with
prodigious stags' heads."
His brother Robert succeeded him, and entertained Edward Balliol at
Pendragon Castle on his expulsion from Scotland in 1337. Anne, Countess
of Pembroke, " in whom y*" name of y" said Cliffords determined," says in
her Diary that she formed the design of restoring Pendragon Castle as
early as 16 15, but she had several other ruined castles to repair, so that it
was not till 1660 that Pendragon was restored. She placed the following
inscription over the castle gate : —
This i'endragon Castle was re|iayred by the Lady Anne Clifiord, countcsse of
I'L-nibroke, Dorsett and Montgomerie, baroncsse Cliftbrd, Westmorland and \"escie,
bigh Sbcriffessc by inheritance of the county of Westmorlandj and lady of the
honour of Skipton in Craven, in the year i66o : so as she came to lye in it herself
Inq. post mortem 8 Edward II., 62.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 67
for a little while in October i56i, after it had layen ruinous without timber or anv
covering ever since the year 1541. Isaiah, chap. Iviii, ver. 12. God's name be
praised.
The text is so appropriate that it must be quoted here : " And they
that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places : thou shalt raise up the
foundations of many generations ; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of
the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." The castle was dismantled
in 1685, and has since been a quarry for building stones. The reproduc-
tion from Buck's engraving shews what its state was in 1738, but there is
very little now remaining.
Mallerstang Chapel, which is a perpetual curacy, lies a mile south of
the castle, and is said to have been built during the life of Robert de
Clifford in the reign of Edward II., and as recorded in a stone over the
door, " This Chappie of Mallerstang, after it had layne ruinous and decayed
some 50 or 60 years, was new repayred by the Lady Anne Clifford,
Countesse Dowager of Pembroke, Dorsett and Montgomery, in the year
1663." She also made an endowment of the yearly value of ;^ii " for the
use and maintenance of a reader to read Divine Service and to teach and in-
struct the children of Mallerstang aforesaid to read and write." The original
deed of endowment is in the possession of Miss Atkinson of Blue Grass.
The Register shews the longevity of the inhabitants ; the ages of eight
consecutive burials on one page in 1823-4 average 85 years. The burying-
ground only dates from 1 8 1 3 ; prior to that date the funerals were at Kirkby
Stephen Church, a long five miles from the chapel.
I have not found any references to Birkbecks in Mallerstang earlier
than the sixteenth century. Our ancestors do not appear in the early
Assize Rolls or Law Proceedings, perhaps from their having been a more
peaceable family than others of the name.
There is an undated answer in the time of Henry VIII. to a Bill of
Complaint of the Earl of Cumberland, charging William Byrkebek and
K 2
68 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
others with riot. The defendants say that the Earl's servants were the
rioters, and assaulted Stephen Byrkbeck and another partisan of Lord
Wharton's at Kirkby Stephen ; that when the defendants went with speed
to Lord Wharton at Wharton to know the occasion of the riot, the Earl
desired them to go home again " without that," and sent some of them
to hunt in the forest of Mallerstang, so they rode peaceable thither. The
riot must have occurred between 1 543, when Sir Thomas Wharton was
created a peer, and 1 547, when Henry VIII. died.
Deepgill, the home of the parents of William Birkbeck, the founder
of the Settle Birkbecks, is a mile to the south of the chapel, close under the
northern end of Wild Boar Fell, the steep face of which is scarred by the
deep ravine or " gill," cut by the torrent Deepgill, from which the house
takes its name. The whole side of Wild Boar Fell is flirrowed by the
mountain-streams rushing down from springs near the crest of the hill
forming the gills, as they are locally called, which give names to many of the
farms : Shoregill, Deepgill, Hazelgill, Angerholmegill, Parrockgill, Drygill,
and Aisgill are among the place names mentioned as having belonged to
Birkbecks, and the Ordnance Map shews the names of forty-three gills in
Mallerstang falling into the Eden. The view of Hellgill, which is three
miles south of Deepgill, shews how deeply the streams cut into the rock.
The house stands about a third of a mile from the high road, the
approach to it crossing the Eden by an old bridge called Thrang Bridge.
It is a small but substantially-built farm-house, a grove of sycamore trees over-
shadowing the farm premises, with grass fields in front and on either side.
I found traces of a former garden, and brought away cuttings of roses
and honeysuckle run wild, which have grown into large bushes in their new
home on the west coast of Scotland. Sycamores are characteristic of the
valley, a clump of them standing by most of the farm-houses ; few other
trees would withstand the furious "Helm Wind" which rushes down the
precipitous sides of Wild Boar Fell. Behind the house is a waterfall, caused
HELL GILL.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 69
by the stream tearing down the chasm of Deepgill, which is crossed by a high
arch, over which the main line of the Midland Railway to Carlisle passes.
The house itself, with its thick stone walls and flagged roof, on which
houseleek and sedums are growing, appears to be very much in its original
state. There is some old carving over the doorway of the kitchen, and in
the living room a good old oak cabinet, with the date 1664 carved on it,
is said to have been always in the house. About the year 1835 the hearth-
stone in the kitchen was taken up, and a brown earthenware pot flill of
crooked pins was found, which it is supposed was placed there in old times,
possibly when the house was built, as a spell against witchcraft or evil
spirits. Belief in the supernatural lingers long in these dales. Of course
Pendragon is haunted. Beautiful white ladies wander about the ruins at
midnight, a headless ghost comes out of the Castle gateway, and a black hen
Invariably frustrates all attempts to unearth the buried treasure — a chest of
gold — scratching in by night all the earth dug out by day.'
Deepgill was purchased by the Birkbecks in 1592, but does not seem to
have been their home until after Blue Grass was sold in 1649. The first
mention of their living there is the entry of the baptism of Richard in
1663, when his father William Birkbeck is described in the Register as
" de Deepgill." A portion of the property belonged to Thomas Fothergill
in 16 1 9, as mentioned in the schedule to the agreement with the Earl
of Cumberland (p. 78). John Fothergill, who married a daughter of
Geoffrey Birkbeck, died at Deepgill in 1659, and their son was living there
in 1672, as well as his uncle William Birkbeck, but these latter Fothergills
may have been tenants in one of the other houses on the Deepgill property.
I have failed to ascertain when Deepgill passed out of the possession of
the Birkbecks, as the fines generally only give the names of purchasers. ~It
now belongs to Miss Fawcett, who lives at "The Thrang," a modern house
adjoining the road and nearly opposite to Deepgill ; it is held under Lord
^ " History and Traditions of Mallerstang Forest," p. 103.
70 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Hothfield, the Lord of the Manor. Miss Fawcett kindly searched through
her deeds of the Deepgill property, but they are not early enough to give
the name of any Birkbeck owner. The regular Manor Rolls of Mallerstang
at Appleby Castle do not go back beyond i 740, though there are Boundary
Ridings and other documents of much earlier date, some of which are
quoted later. Captain Grimshaw of Hutton Lodge, Soulby, who owns
property in Mallerstang, and whose ancestor John Wharton was the owner
of Deepgill in 1773, shewed me his manuscripts, including a quantity of deeds
and other documents, the earliest relating to Birkbecks being dated 1623.
Captain Grimshaw also most kindly accompanied me one day to Mallerstang
and assisted me in obtaining further information.
There are several other smaller houses on the estate, one of which
called " The Sycamore Trees," three or four hundred yards from Deepgill
House, is mentioned in a letter (p. 89) from a James Metcalfe as an
estate which belonged to Richard, the eldest brother of William Birkbeck,
who left Deepgill for Settle. The will of their father (p. 85) bequeaths
his land to Richard in two moieties, one moiety being " the Great Holme
and Holme House," the other moiety consisting of " the Little Lig with
one house, the Little Holme, Load [? Lord) Burns Close, and half of the
ffive house and half of the waists before Doone (^ Door)." The " Holmes "
are marked on the 6-inch Ordnance Map as the grassfields, lying for a mile
along the river in front of Deepgill House, which I presume was " Holme
House." Lord Burn Close is an enclosure at the top of Hazelgill, which
runs down the side of Wild Boar Fell half a mile to the south of Deepgill,
and Little Lig is across the road opposite the entrance of Hazelgill Burn
into the Eden.
As many of our ancestors were buried at Kirkby Stephen, I will add a few
notes on the grand old church. It contains some interesting tombs : one of
Sir Richard Musgrave, died 1464, who was said by tradition to have killed
the last wild boar in England on Wild Boar Fell in Mallerstang ; certainly
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 71
when the tomb was opened in i 847, during the restoration of the chancel, a
boar's tusk was found in the leaden coffin. Wild boars were denizens of
most of the forests in the south of England at least till the reign of
Henry II., and lingered much later in the northern counties. In the reign
of that great game-preserver William the Conqueror, any one killing a wild
boar, stag, or roebuck was liable to have his eyes put out. Another, a
large alabaster monument with three full-length figures, is the tomb of
Thomas, first Lord Wharton, who was raised to the peerage by Henry VIII.
in I 543 for having, with 1400 men, utterly defeated the Scots Army, i 5,000
strong, at SoUom Moss. The figures of Lord Wharton, with a wife on either
side, and his head resting on a bull's head (the Wharton crest), gave rise in
the last century to a paraphrase of the Latin inscription on the tomb : —
Thomas Whartonus jacco hie, hie utraque conju.Y,
Elionora suum hinc, hinc habet Anna locum ;
En tibi terra tvnim, carnes ac ossa resume ;
In coclos aninias tu Dcus alme, tuum.
Here I Thomas Wharton do lie,
With Lucifer under my head,
And Nelly my wife hard by.
And Nancy as cold as lead.
Oh ! How can I speak without dread !
Who could my sad fortune abide,
With one devil under my head,
And another laid close on each side!
Dr. Burn says, in the " History of Westmorland," that the bull's head
was popularly supposed to represent the Devil in a vanquished position, and
adds that the English lines were written by a waggish schoolmaster ; the
latter was Dr. Burn himself, who at the time was Head Master of Kirkby
Stephen Grammar School.
The Rev. Francis Higginson, who was Vicar during the Common-
wealth, was very active in his persecution of the Quakers, and wrote two
pamphlets against them. Dr. Burn, himself Vicar of Orton, writing more
72 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
than 120 years ago, after quoting parts of the pamphlets, remarks : " Such
was the rise of the Quakers .... in these days we may see the happy
effects of toleration. By letting them alone, they are coming about of
themselves, and in the next generation most of their formal absurdities will
be no more heard of."^
Machell, writing in the last half of the seventeenth century, calls
Kirkby Stephen " the nest of all traitors."
The tithes, until early in the present century, were always paid on
Easter Monday, being laid on a flat tombstone, which still exists in the
churchyard, and is supposed to have been a monument of a Wharton.
The early Registers at Kirkby Stephen are unfortunately defective,
commencing April, 1647, and they do not agree with the transcripts at
Carlisle, which are also fragmentary, many entries being absent from either,
and several years wanting at different times from each ; there is one gap
of eighteen years between April, 1659, and March, 1677.
During the Commonwealth few parish registers were properly kept,
particularly with reference to marriages. The Little Parliament of the year
1653 declared that marriage was to be merely a civil contract ; accordingly
it was enacted that the names of parties intending to be married were to be
proclaimed either in church after morning service on two successive Sundays,
or in the market-place on three successive market days according to the
wish of the parties. By the same Act marriages were not to be performed
by the parson, but by the Justices of the Peace.^
It is very unlucky that the earliest books at the time most important
for the pedigree are missing. I have inserted (p. 73) the entries referring
to the Mallerstang Birkbecks in the Registers at Kirkby Stephen and in the
Carlisle transcripts. There are also later Birkbeck entries relating to Kirkby
Stephen Birkbecks, who were not connected with those of Mallerstang.
*■ " History of Westmorland," vol. i., p. 540.
' "Old English Social Life, as told by the Registers" (T. F. Thiselton Dyer),
pp. 127. '31-
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 73
The Curfew Bell is still rung at 8 p.m. in the steeple. I once thought
that I should be compelled to ring it myself. I was engaged the whole
afternoon in the vestry making extracts from the old registers. When
leaving at dusk I found that the church door, which had been left open, was
closed by the wind, and, being self-locking, I was a prisoner. After trying
in vain to make myself heard by passers-by, I was just going to ring one of
the bells when I found the key hanging up by the bell-pull.
EXTRACTS FROM KIRKBY STEPHEN PARISH REGISTER.
Entries marked K. S. are from the Register in the Church.
Entries marked C. are from the Transcript at Carlisle.
Baptisms.
Isabel!, dau. of William Birkbeck de Malierstang. K. S. and C.
Richard, son of William Birkbeck de Deepgill. C.
Agnes, dau. of William Birkbeck de Malierstang. C.
John & Frances, son & dau. of William Birkbeck of Malier-
stang. K. S.
Isabcll, dau. of William Birkbecke of Malierstang. K. S. and C.
Agnes, dau. of William Birkbeck of Malierstang. C.
•lane, dau. of Richard Birbeck of Malierstang. K. S.
Ruth, dau. of Richard Birbeck of Malierstang. K. S.
Isabel, dau. of John Birkbeck de Malierstang. K. S. and C.
JeoftVey, son of John Birkbeck of Angerholme in Mailer''.
K. S. and C.
Marriages.
1656 June 16 John flbthergill & Jane Birkbeck. K. S. and C.
1665-6 Jan. 6 George Birkbeck^ &' Margarett Teabey, widd. C.
1677 May zi William Birkbecke of Malierstang & Issabell Bell of Hartley.
K. S.
1 George Birkbeck was of Raisbeck, Orton, where he owned land, which he held after
his father settled at Soulby in Kirkby Stephen parish. The numerous law suits he was
involved in tell the story of his family: — Chancei7 Proceedings before 1714: Whittington,
i., 497 ; ii., 136, 147, 198 ; Collins, iv., 20; Bridges, iv., 560.
L
1657
Julv
19
1663
Oct.
18
1666
Dec.
4
I677-;
8 Mar.
14
1680
Aug.
,S
I6S4
Aug.
3
1694
Dec.
zo
1696
Dec.
iS
1702
May
17
I7I4-
5 Jan.
20
74 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
1687-8 Feb. 25 Richard Birbeck ^ Ruth Waller, Mallerstang. K. S.
1688-9 Jan. 31 Stephen Todd & Agnes Birbeck. K. S.
1696 April 26 John Shaw «^ Isabell Birbeck. K. S.
1696 Nov, 10 Christoph' Millner <^ Margret Birbeck. K. S.
1742 June 14 Anth. Fothergill & Frances Birkbeck, Mall. C.
Burials.
1670 Sep. 20 Issabell, the wife of Jeoffrey Birkbeck Jate of Mallerstang. C.
1681-2 Mar. 6 Henry Berbecke de Kerkby. K. S.
1684-5 Jan. 28 Agnes, dau. of William Birkbecke, Mallerstang. K. S.
1687 June 2 George Birbeck^ of Soulbie. K. S.
1694 April II Margret Birbeck^ of Soulbie. K. S.
1697-8 Mar. 8 Ruth, dau. of Richard Birbeck of Mallerstang. K. S.
1698 Aug. 12 William Birbeck of Mallerstang. K. S.
1715 Nov. 7 Issabel Burbeck of Mallerstang. K. S. and C.
1722-3 Mar. 19 James Birkbeck of Outhgill, Mallerstang, aged 56. K. S. and C.
See previous note.
( 75 )
THE BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG.
The earliest record I have of the Mallerstang family, from whom the
Settle branch sprang, is in a Survey of the Barony of Appleby made in
1604, which is among the muniments at Appleby Castle : —
MALLERSTANGE.
SouTHVVAiTE. — John Birkbeck son of Alexander Birkbecke deceased holdeth
a teu'te [tenement] att blewgrasse &" was admitted of the moitie 1583 1^ of thother
moitie 1588. vj»
He hath improved a rood (5# the 4 pt of a rood, the gr. [grassora] of
Alexander Birkbecke all unpaid, bond xviij% 1605. not r' nor in S'"vey 1582
He also holdeth the moitie of an improv* r. [rent] xij* by assignm* of Xpofer
flothergill, ad. [admitted] 1592 & a. p'cell of ground r. i'' by th'assignm' of Gabriell
flbthergill brother of Henry ffothergill deceased. xiij''
He hath married W™ his son to p'te of his ten'te.
Deepgill. — John Birkbecke holdeth a ten'te r. v^ ij* & an improvm' r.
If iiij'i by assignm' of Humfrey Blenkarn w'^'" was form'"ly in the tenure of Barnabie
Skaif assignee of Henry Birkdale, ad. 1592. vij^ vj*^
Vx. [uxor] Skaif ten' m'dict' jure vid'.
He gave H. Blenkarn 461' 13" 4'' for no int'rest because he held this for his
recompence for his paines for writing the booke of dymise 1582.
He hath builded a fier house on the wast 1^ improved A rood and a half
of iiTound. not r' nor in S'vey 1582
Composuit [later handwriting].
On the jury of the above Survey for Winton, Kirkby Stephen, and
Mallerstang appears the name of "John Birkbecke of Mallerstange."
Blue Grass is situated about a mile to the north of Pendragon Castle
and near the hamlet of Southwaite in Mallerstang ; the latter was granted
L 2
76 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
to Roger de Clifford by a charter of 3 February, 36 Edward III. Deepgill
is to the south of the Casde. As before mentioned I am inclined to
think that Alexander may have been related to the Birkbecks of Eamont
Bridge and Great Musgrave (p. 56), his descendants having had in so
marked a manner the same Christian names as those of the latter family ;
but we have seen (p. 67) that there were Birkbecks in Mallerstang early in
the sixteenth century. The Christian name of one of these, William
Byrkebek, was a typical Deepgill name which has never been wanting in
each generation down to the present day.
JOHN BIRKBECK, son of ALEXANDER BIRKBECK of Blue
Grass in Mallerstang, was admitted to Blue Grass a.d. 1582, apparently on
the death of his father, and he purchased Deepgill, being admitted a.d. i 592.
The consideration paid for the latter may be taken to represent between
/jooo and /."1200 at the present value of money, but we do not know how
much of the present property was included in the purchase of 1592. It is
not clear whether it was the purchaser or the vendor who " held this for his
recompence for his paines for writing the booke of dymise 1582." John
Birkbeck married Catherine .... who survived him. He died between
I August, 16 19, and 15 March, 1619-20. His will is as follows :—
In the Name of (^od, Aiiiru. I .John BirklKck of Mallcrstange, sick in
bodic, hut wiiolle in niindc and perfect in reniend)ranec Ciod be tlianked, doe
ordaiiic and make this my last Will and 'i'cstament in manner and forme follow-
inge, viz. ; First I doe give and becjuietli my Soule unto Allmighty CJod my maker
and redeemer, and my bodie to be buried in the p'isb Cluireli or Cliurebyarde of
Kirkbiestephin. Ite' Whereas my sonne Willi'm is ten'nt of the wlioll Tcnem' at
Biewgrasse in the saide JVfallerstauge, and liaith the possession and occupation of
everie p't and p'ceil thereof condiconallie that he shall kepe and mentaine me the
saide John Birkbeck and Cathrine nowe my Wife sufficiently w'th meate and
drinkc duringe our natm-all lives at the nowe dwelling-bouse of the said Will'm
m\' .Sonne, therefore it is mv minde and will that aeeortlinge to the said condition
and agrem^ the said Will'm shall mentaine and kecpe the said Catberiuc mv Wife
sufficiently w"' meate &> iliinke as beretoloi-e she liaith been, if she will be willinge
to abide and remaine w''' him at his saide dwellinoe-liouse. Ite' it is mv nnnde and
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 77
will that mv soniie Geoffrey his Power children, namelie John, Helliii, Agnes, and
Nicholas shall haue everie one of them iij^ iiij"". Ite' I doe give and betjuieth unto
my sonn Will'ms five children namely Agnes, Henry, John, Margret, and
Elizabeth every one iij' iiij"*. Ite' I doe give unto my sonn Will'm his daughter
Agnes Birkbeck one greate brasse pott, and all the rest of my goods moveable and
unmoveable, my Wife haveing hir third part of the whole according to the lawe and
my funerall expences being discharged, I doc give and bequieth unto my sonn
Will'm, whome I make my whole Executor conditonally that he or his assignes
shall mentaine and keepe my sonn Henry w'" meate and drinke and apparrell
dureing his natural! life. I doe make supvizors of this my will my sonn Geoffrey
Birkbeck, Leonard Wharton, Will'm Fothergill and Heugh Fawcet. In witnesse
whereof I have hereunto set my hand the first day of August Anno Dom'i 1619.
Witnesses hereof Will'm Fothergill, Annie Pearson 1^ Jefferye Birkbeck.
Proved in the Consistory Coin-t of Carlisle 15 March, 1619-20.
The legacies to the grandchildren sound to us very trifling, even
though with the relative value of money each was probably equivalent to
between £2 ^"^ ^'4 now ; but we must remember that there were no banks,
and any spare cash would at once be put into land or flirm stock, so that
a yeoman or squire would hardly possess any ready-money.
John Birkbeck left three sons living at his death, William {ridt infra),
Geoffrey (p. 81), and Henry, of whom the mention in the will is the only
record I have found, and who, from the provision in the will for his
maintenance, may have been an invalid.
WILLIAM BIRKBECK of Blue Grass was heir under his father's
will, but he had been put in possession of Blue Grass by his father before
16 19 [ride the will, p. 76). From the curious expression in the
Survey (p. 75), "he hath married William his son to part of his
tenement," some of the land may have been" settled on his marriage, but I
have found no mention of the name of his wife. From the following agree-
ment, made In 16 19 between the Earl of Cumberland and the tenants of the
Manor, he seems to have been the principal holder of land in Mallerstang : —
Indenture dated 20 October, 17 James I., between Francis, Earl of
Cumberland, and Lord Clifford his son and heir, and William Birkbecke,
78 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
GeofFrey Birkbecke, and fourteen others, customary tenants to the said Earl
withhi his forest and manor of Mallerstang — they are severally seized to
them and their heirs, of and in their tenements in Mallerstang by custom of
tenant-right for ever — mentions the suit between the Countess of Dorset
(Anne, Countess of Pembroke) and the Earl of Cumberland ; and the King's
award therein, which allowed the Earl " to assure all and any the messuages,
lands, tenements, or hereditaments situate, lying, or being within the said
county of Westmorland, which were then claymed or holden by force or
colour of a custome or pretended custome of tennant right," to the tenants
and their heirs at certain rents. In accordance with the award the Earl
grants that they inay hold their lands, etc., on payment of the ancient rents
and fines. The tenants had to pay .£1767 14s. 6d. for confirmation of their
estates. The schedule gives the names of eleven tenants only, although
sixteen are mentioned in the body of the deed. William Birkbeck had
three different farms, but their names are not mentioned, though the abodes
of all the other tenants, except that of Geoffrey Birkbeck, are given. The
total amount of the rents was £-] 13s. 2d., of which William Birkbeck paid
£\. 4s. id. and Geoffrey los. 6d ; the amount of fines paid on death is not
stated.' The /^i 767 — of course equivalent to many times that amount in
these days — was thrown away, for, as before stated, the Countess eventually
forced her uncle to give up her property.
Captain Grimshaw has a deed, dated 19 February, 1622-3, which is
witnessed by William Birkbeck in a good signature ; and at Appleby
Castle there is a copy of an indenture made in 1591 between George, Earl
of Cumberland, and Philip, Lord Wharton, at the foot of which is written,
" This is a true copy off the Indenture between the right ho^''^ p'ties, written
by Will'm Birkbeck the xii* off November, 1624." It is beautifiilly
engrossed on parchment, and certainly looks as if it were copied by a lawyer.
A William Birkbeck was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1577, who was
1 Close Roll, 17 James I., pt. 9, No. 4.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 79
connected with and apparently a relation of the Eamont Bridge and Great
Musgrave family (p. 56). If he were 21 when admitted to Gray's Inn, he
would have been 63 when John Birkbeck of Blue Grass died in 1619.
There is no proof whatever that the copy was written by William Birkbeck of
Blue Grass, but the latter having been a tenant under the Mallerstang Manor,
to which the deed related, this is at least probable. If William Birkbeck of
Gray's Inn were also of Blue Grass it would be evidence of the connection
between the Mallerstang family and the Birkbecks of Eamont Bridge and
Great Musgrave.
I do not know when William Birkbeck died. He had issue, Henry
[vide infra), John (living 1649, and perhaps married to Phillis ....),
Agnes, Margaret, and Elizabeth, all mentioned in the will of their
grandfather.
HENRY BIRKBECK, eldest son ot William, born circa 1607,'
succeeded to Blue Grass, but being a Royalist he got into difficulties, and
sold the property in 1649 ^^ Robert Atkinson to prevent its sequestra-
tion.' ^ He was returned in the levy of Hearth Tax at Kirkby Stephen in
1670, and in 1676 was living at Wharton Dykes in the parish of Kirkby
Stephen, about two miles from Blue Grass, " reduced to great poverty and
extremity by the late usurpation, but a very honest and upright man in his
dealings, and provided for his children to the utmost of his ability."^ He
was buried at Kirkby Stephen 6 March, 168 1-2. His wife Anne was
aged 58 or thereabouts in 1677.*
They had issue living in 1677, William {^vide iiifra), Roger (vide
p. 81), and Margaret; two younger children died between 1648 and
1677.^
WILLIAM BIRKBECK, eldest son of Henry, born circa 1641,
was five years at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School ; admitted Sizar at
1 Chancery Depositions, Hamilton, v., bundle 238, 1676, Birkbeck v. Wharton.
- Chancery Proceedings before 17 14, Mitford, bundle 253, No. 145.
8o THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
St. John's College, Cambridge, i6 October, 1657, i£t. 16; B.A. 1661 ;
Fellow on Simpson's Foundation 1663; M.A. 1669; Proctor St. John's
1670 ; Legista (two Fellows were then allowed to be barristers) 1671. The
Fellowship was filled up 27 March, 1694, but whether vacated by death or
marriage is not stated.^ In 1675 he brought a suit against Michael
Wharton to recover a part of the purchase-money of Blue Grass, for which
he asserted Robert Atkinson had given a bond for the benefit of Henry
Birkbeck's children, and which his uncle GeoflFrey Birkbeck had delivered
to Michael Wharton, in order to prevent the money being sequestered on
account of Henry Birkbeck being a Royalist.' In 1676 he was engaged in
a suit as to the payment by one of his Cambridge pupils to recover money
paid for the latter's food and necessaries.^
In Machell's MS. History of the Borders, vol. v., p. 39, is the following,
apparently written when Machell was with Dugdale, who was making his
Heralds' Visitation, and dated the very day on which Dugdale certified the
arms of Thomas Birkbeck of Hornby, after saying that he believed Dugdale
had made a mistake in tracing the Fess cheque or and sable : —
Appleby, 22 Martij 1664, Mr. Dugd.
MenioraiKluni. Mr. William Birljcck son of George Birbeck of Kirkby
Stephen d* fellow of St. Johns Col. in Cambridge, has a patent, or a eopv of a Patent
\\1). the Arms which was granted to one Birbeck of Carlisle: of (may be) the
beginner of this family. I should see it <S# know wiience he had it.
William Birkbeck, the Fellow of St. John's, was son of Henry, not
George. Major R. S. Birkbeck wrote to W. Lloyd Birkbeck in 1881,
"This mem™ of Machell convinces me that the Birkbecks of Hornby and
Kirkby Stephen (Mallerstang) were of the same family, or Machell would
1 Admissions to St. John's College, Fellows St. John's College. Add. MSS.
.5850, 5855 ; Fasti F:eel. Ang. (John I,e Neve), iii., 685 ; " History of St. John's College "
(Baker), pp. 299, 301.
- Chancery Proceedings before 17 14: Mitfurd, bundle 253, No. 145; Hamilton,!.,
,571 and 531 ; v., 228.
■' Chancery Proceedings before 17 14, Whittington, ii., bundle 125.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 8i
not have sought at Kirlcby Stephen to correct the arms borne by Mr.
Birkbeck of Hornby." I beHeve, however, that Major Birkbeck subse-
quently saw reason to alter his opinion.
ROGER BIRKBECK, second son of Henry (p. 79), was a citizen of
London, belonging to the Carpenters' Company, and living 1676. His
sister Margaret married Thomas Harrison, gentleman, and was living at or
near Kirkby Stephen 1676.*
GEOFFREY BIRKBECK, son of John Birkbeck (vide p. 77) and
mentioned in his will. He held an estate in Mallerstang in 16 19, being
party to the agreement with the Earl of Cumberland,* but the name of his
place is not given. Captain Grimshaw has a manuscript list of " the jury
maid and agreed upon in the year 1641 concerning the rent of a parcell
of ground called Shoregill Side, bought by Jeffra Birkbeck." Shoregill is
just opposite Mallerstang Church. A George Birkbeck was one of the jury,
who were probably tenants of the Manor, but I do not know who he was.
George Birkbeck of Soulby, who was buried at Kirkby Stephen 2 June, 1687,
would not have been a tenant of the Manor, Soulby being on the other side
of Kirkby Stephen. At Appleby Castle there is a survey of the boundaries of
the Manor of Mallerstang, commencing " The Bounds of Mallerstang,
for my Lord of Cumberland," and endorsed " Geoffrey Birkbecke, his notes
of the Bounds of Mallerstange 1636." In 165 i he was present at a boundary
riding of the Manor and signed the memorandum. He is mentioned
several times in the suit of his great-nephew William against Wharton, and
is stated to have died "a considerable time after 1648." The will of his
widow Isabel does not mention four children of Geoffrey, viz., John,
Nicholas, Helen, and Agnes, who are mentioned in the will of their grand-
father John Birkbeck of Blue Grass ; probably they died previously. She
must have been very old as she had a great-granddaughter.
' Chancery Proceedings before 1714, Hamilton, i., 531.
2 Close Roll, 17 James I., pt. 9, No. 4.
82 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
September y<= ii"", 1670.
In the name of God Amen. I Issabell Birkbeck sick in body but hole in mind
and perfect in remembrance, thanks be to God, doe make my last will and Testament
in manner and forme following. First I bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty
God and into the hands of Jesus Christ who suffered death upon the Cross for my
sins being verily perswaded that after this life ended he will resave my soule into his
Heavenly Kingdom and my body to be buried in the Churchyeard of Cribbsteven
(^ doe make this my last will and Testament revoking all other wills. Item I give my
granddoughter Margret Whitfield five shillings and to her doughter five shillings, I
give to my grandoughter Jeffrey Fothergill five shillings, I give to my grandoughter
Issabell Birkbeck elder five shillings, I give to my grandoughter Margret Nealson
five shillings, I give to my grandsonn Richard Birkbeck five shillings, I give to my
granddoughter Isabell Birkbeck younger five shillings, I give to my granddoughter
Agnes Birkbeck five shillings, I give to my sonn James Birkbeck five shillings if he
come to resave it. I give to my sonn Willyam Birkbeck one Cuthbert (? Cupboard)
& my Tables my Chists Bedsteads and Beds and all the rest of my Goods
moveable and immoveable whatsoever, I give it to my sonn Willyam Birkbeck all
my rents due at Outhgill owing by Thomas Ward to discharge my Fuinerale
Expends and do make my sonn Willyam Birkbeck my wholle Executor.
Issabell Birkbeck (mark x and seal).
Witness hear of: Briane Hugginson, Richard Tunstall.
Proved at Carlisle 13 October, 1670, by William Birkbeck.
She was buried at Kirkby Stephen 20 September, 1670, nine days after
the date of her will, and left two sons living at her death, viz. : —
William (p. 83), and James, who is mentioned in the law suit brought
by William Birkbeck against Wharton (p. 80) as having been present with
Geoffrey and Henry Birkbeck "a considerable time after January 1648-9."
His mother's legacy to him, " If he come to receive It," looks as though he
were absent and his being then alive uncertain. The will of James Burbeck,
Mariner, belonging to H.M.S. "Suffolk," abroad, dated 21 June, 1690,
and proved 23 December, 1693, might possibly be his; it mentions no
relations. An entry In the Kirkby Stephen Register of the burial, 19 March,
1722-3, of James Birkbeck of Outhgill, Mallerstang, aged 56, for whom I
have been unable to account, cannot refer to Geoffrey's son. From the will
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 83
Geoffrey Birkbeck would appear also to have had three married daughters,
who probably all died before their mother : Jane, married 16 June, 1656,
John Fothergill of Deepgill, who was buried 8 May, 1659, having had a
son Geoffrey, who was mentioned in the above will and was living at
Deepgill in 1672 with his uncle William Birkbeck. The two other daughters
married a Whitfield and a Nealson, and no doubt were the Helen and
Agnes mentioned in their grandfather's will (p. 77).
WILLIAM BIRKBECK of DeepgiU (eldest son of Geoffrey, p. 81).
In a " Booke of ffynes Receyved for Anne, Countesse Dowager of
Pembroke, &c., by George Sedgwick, Receivo'," at Appleby Castle, there is
an undated entry, but apparently made in 1658, when the Countess won her
suit against the Mallerstang tenants : —
Mallerstang. — William Birkbeck for p* of a Messuage ^ Tenem' w'='' hee
purchased of John Birkbeck of the antient Rent of Tenne shillings 1^ ten pence
ffynes 04 : 06 : 08.
And in September, 1659,
Mallerstange. — William Birkbeck for certaine parcells of ground which
he purchased of Geoffrey Birkbecke ^ James Birkbecke of y° antient yearly rent of
three shillings ffynes 01 : 04 : 00.
John must have been his elder brother, mentioned in their grandfather's
will, and James the younger brother mentioned in their mother's will. The
fines were eight years' rent, no doubt payable on the Countess regaining her
succession to the Manor.
He was returned in the levy of Hearth Tax in 1670,* and is mentioned
as at Deepgill in a manuscript list of " Yearly wages payable to the Chappie
of Mallerstang," written 15 June, 1672, by the Rev. Robert Moore, the
incumbent of the chapel. The manuscript is now in the possession of
Miss Fawcett, the owner of Deepgill. In 1684 he was present with
his son Richard at a boundary riding of the Manor and signed the
1 Lay Subsidies, 195, 73, 22 Charles II.
84 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
memorandum. The facsimile of his signature is traced from an agreement
at Appleby Castle, dated i6 May, 1695, for enclosing certain pastures in
Mallerstang.
l^JUtt/mt^fi^^^r^
He was certainly married twice, as Captain Grimshaw has an undated
manuscript giving a list of " those persons that is at full age within ye fForest
of Mallerstange which is lyable to pay ye powle " (poll tax), in which is the
entry " Willm. Birkbeck. his wife and mother and his maid seruant wages
20s. — 2 shilhngs." Now his mother died in 1670, seven years before his
marriage to Isabell Bell, so there certainly was a former marriage. I have
searched every register in Westmorland and in the neighbouring parishes
for his first marriage, but it probably took place during the Commonwealth
when the records are very defective. He married secondly Isabell Bell of
Hartley 21 May, 1677. Hartley is a hamlet in Kirkby Stephen parish and
two miles to the east of the town. I could not find any entry in the
register of her baptism; it might have been before 1647, which is the
earliest entry. The baptisms of William and Mary, children of Thomas
Bell of Hartley, are recorded in 1658 and 1660.
Mr. Joseph Torbock of Middlesbrough, the owner of Outhgill in
Mallerstang, sent me a deed, dated 21 October, 1707, by which her son
John Birkbeck gave in exchange for other neighbouring property " ail that
his dwelling house and stables with the garden on the back side, now being
in the possession of Isabel Birkbeck, widow, to have and enjoy the said
dwelling house and stable and garth after the decease of the said Isabel, all
being situate at Shoregill in the Manor and Lordship of Mallerstang."
Shoregill is near the chapel and three-quarters of a mile from Deepgill
House. She was buried at Kirkby Stephen 7 November, 1715.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 85
William Birkbeck's will was as follows : —
January the 19'", 1697 [1697-8].
In the name of God Amen. I William Birkbe^k of Deepgill in the fforest of
Mallerstange in the p'ish of Kirkby Stephen & County of Westmorland yeoman
being at this p'^ somewhat Infirm & out of bodily health but capeable of under-
standing 1^ of sound (^ p'fect memory (praised be God for the same) do make
(^ ordaine this my last will <^ testam' in manner & form following viz' Imp' I
desire to committ my souie into the hands of Almighty God when it shall please
him to dissolve my earthly Tabernacle, hoping that through the merritts of Jesus
Christ my Saviour I shall obtain Remission of my Sins 1!^ everlasting Bliss in that
house not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens, ^ my body to the Grave to
be buryed in Christian Buriall at the discretion of Executrix hereafter mentioned.
As for such temporall goods as it has pleased God to endow me with It is my will
^ desire to dispose of them as herein after is determined. Item I doe will and
Require my Sonne Richard Birkbecke when he comes to enter upon 1^ enjoy half
of that w'ch I doe now possess that is the Great Holme & Holme house that he
shall pay into my Sonne William Birkbecke the summe of Tenne pounds And allso
to William Slorye tenne pounds if it be not payd to him at or before my decease,
but if it be payd then ye s'd Richard Birkbecke shall pay the said summe to my
Executrix or whom I shall assigne him to pay it and when the said Richard shall
enioyethe other moyetye viz. the Litle Ing with one House the Litle Holme Load
[Lord] Burns Close <^ halfe of the ffive house <^ halfe of the waists before Doone
[? door] & halfe of the Garden that he shall pay to his Sister Margarett Milner the
sum'e ffive pounds ^ also to his Brother William Birkbecke ffive pounds more allso
to his sister ffrances Birkbecke ffive pounds <^ to his sister Isabell Shaw five pounds:
& if in the Interim any of the said summes be satisfyed (S# payd that then the said
Richard Birkbecke shall pay the said Summes where I shall order <^ assign it to be
paid. Item I give to my Sonne Richard Birkbecke five shillings &' one great Chest
in the Loft <^ one table in the Cowhouse &' one Bedstead in the Parlour. Item I
give to my Sonne William Birkbecke five shillings. Item I give to my Sonne John
Birkbecke five shil)ings. Item I give to my Daughter Margarett Millner five
shillings. Item I give to my daughter Frances Birkbecke tenne pounds 1^ ffive
shillings. Item I give to my Daughter Isabell Shaw five shillings. Item I give to
Richard Birkbecke, John Birkbecke, & my wife Isabell Birkbecke all my husbandry
geare to be equally divided amongst them.
Post. — It is my wish <^ I do hereby give & bequeath all the Rest of my
Goods ^ Chattells moveable and immoveable unto my wife Isabell she discharging
all my debts 1^ funerall expences &" that the said Isabell be the sole Executrix of
86 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
this my last will <^ testam'. Revokeing all former wills Wittness hereof I have
hereunto sett my hand & seale the day & year first above written.
William Birkbecke.
Proved i March, 1698 (1698-9).
The reason of the legacies of five shillings each in addition to the other
bequests is not apparent.
William Birkbeck was buried at Kirkby Stephen 12 August, 1698,
having had issue by his first marriage : —
Richard (vide p. 87).
Isabell, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 19 July, 1657, and mentioned in
the wills of her father and grandmother ; married at Kirkby
Stephen, 26 April, 1696, John Shaw. Several Shaws are
mentioned in Mallerstang during the seventeenth century :
"John Shaw, sen'', and Agnes Shaw on behalf of John Shaw
her son, an infant," signed the agreement of 16 May, 1695,
mentioned p. 84. They were Nonconformists, as John Shaw and
Agnes his wife were returned to Archbishop Sheldon in 1676
among those in Mallerstang who obstinately refuse or wholly
absent themselves from the Communion at such times as by law
they are required.-* The will of her grandmother mentions two
granddaughters, Isabel! Birkbeck the elder and Isabell Birkbeck
the younger. There is only one entry of baptism during the
grandmother's life (though there is a baptism of Isabell by the
second marriage). I cannot say whether the Isabell who married
John Shaw was the elder or the younger by the first marriage ;
the one by the second marriage would have been only 1 5 years
and 8 months old, so no doubt it was one of the daughters of
the first wife. It was not unusual to call two children by the same
name ; the probability was that both would not hve to grow up,
1 " History of Mallerstang'' (Rev. W. Nicholls), p. 39.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 87
Agnes, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 4 December, 1666 ; married at
Kirkby Stephen, 31 January, 1688-9, Stephen Todd. Not
mentioned in her father's will, but she was mentioned in that of
her grandmother. She was buried 8 July, 1699.
By his second marriage William Birkbeck had issue : —
John (p. 90), twin with Frances.
William (p. 95).
Frances, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 14 March, 1677-8, a twin with
John, mentioned in her father's will. If the entry in the Kirkby
Stephen Register of the marriage, 14 June, 1742, of Anthony
Fothergill and Frances Birkbeck of Mallerstang refers to her, she
was then 64 years old.
Isabell, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 3 August, 1680, probably died
before 1698, not being mentioned in her father's will.
Agnes, baptized 3 August, 1684 ; buried 28 January, 1684-5.
Margaret may have been by either marriage, there being no entry of
her baptism in the Register, but not being mentioned in the will
of her grandmother it is probable she was born after 1670.
She married at Kirkby Stephen, 10 November, 1696, Christopher
Milner, and was mentioned in her father's will.
RICHARD BIRKBECK, eldest son of William (p. 83), baptized at
Kirkby Stephen 18 October, 1663. Heir under his father's wiU to all his
land in two moieties, "when he shall enjoy the other moiety," probably
indicating that his mother had a life interest in it.
There are several references to him in the Manor Rolls at Appleby Castle.
He was present with his father at the boundary riding of the Manor in 1684
and signed the record, from which the facsimile of his signature is taken,
88 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
but he was not present at the boundary riding in 1 704. In October, 1 698, he
paid the fines on the death of his father, viz., 1,6 15s. 5d. and 3s. 3d., being
thirteen years' rental at los. 5d. and 3d. In 1702 and 1703 further small
fines were paid, which may have been on purchases, as they were calculated
on sixteen years' rental, and in 1704 and 1708 " dropping fines" were paid,
probably on purchases. In October, 1712, there is an entry, " Mallerstange.
Eliz. Wife of Richard Birkbeclc, rent 00 . 13 . 08 ; fine 09 . 1 1 . 04." This
may have been the fine payable for a settlement of the land on his second
marriage. The following entry appears in a later but undated Rental
Book : " Hassal, Lady, late Birkbeck, Richard, a close of land with a barn
upion it at Deepgill, 3'', a dwelling house and garden, a close called Waistes,
New Close & the old House and stead, 3', a Messuage (^ Tenem' in
Mallerstang 10' 5'^," the total amount, 13s. 8d., being the same rent as that
of 1 7 12, and the items agreeing with the rent on his inheritance at his
father's death with the addition of one of the 1702 purchases.
From the entries in the Register he appears to have been living at
Penrith from 1699 to 1707, and to have been engaged in the wool trade, as
in the entry of the burial of his first wife he is described as a " Woolman."
Apparently he was living 1720, as in a manuscript in the writing of the late
Major R. S. Birkbeck, containing extracts of family letters of the eighteenth
century, headed Letters from . . . . to . . . ., is " To William Birkbeck,
Settle, from his loving brother Richard Birkbeck, Oct. 25"", 1720." I
regret that the original letter cannot be found, as it is possible both brothers
belonged to the next generation, but if so, the writer would have been only
nine years old. There are other letters copied on the same papers, the
writers of which I cannot identify, one dated Penrith, 5 June, 1728,
addressed to Mr. William Birkbeck, Settle, beginning "Loving Uncle," and
ending " Your loving nephew Daniel Ireland."
A pedigree drawn by Major Birkbeck has Daniel Ireland of Penrith as
having married Jane, daughter of Richard Birkbeck, and the baptism at Penrith
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 89
of three children of Daniel Ireland, William, Jane, and Ruth, being the
names of three of Richard Birkbeck's children, certainly looks like it,
but I have not found the entry of the marriage. There are also two
letters from Ensign George Willan to his cousin W^illiam Birkbeck, junior,
dated 1734 and 1739. I found among the Richmond Archdeaconry
marriage bonds a licence for the marriage of Richard Willan of Cawtley,
parish of Sedbergh, to Ellen Birkbeck, dated April, 1693. I cannot
identify her, but there were Willans at Winton in Kirkby Stephen parish
at that time.
A deed-box at Settle, which belonged to William Birkbeck who died
1838, contains a quantity of family letters, memoranda, and diaries, the
earlier ones being written in French. A letter dated 6th 5mo., 1784,
addressed to William Birkbeck (born 1745, died 1805), and signed "Thy
afF. kinsman James Metcalfe," mentions " an estate of land at Sycamore
Tree in Mallerstang which belonged to Uncle Richard at Penrith." He
thinks it was mortgaged for £2-°' ^"'^ " ^^ Uncle Richard died suddenly
it was never redeemed," but if any of the family be desirous, it might be
had, the principal being paid. In a subsequent letter from the same writer,
signed " Thy aff. cousin," he has ascertained that the encumbrance is much
larger than he thought. He cannot ascertain how long since it was mortgaged,
and " as far as he can understand by Margery Horner, Uncle Richard died
when she was at Setde." He would appear to have been living in 1722'
from the entry in the register of the burial of the second wife as " wife of
Richard Birkbeck." This would probably have been entered as " late wife "
had he been deceased.
He married at Kirkby Stephen, 25 February, 1687-8, Ruth W^aller of
Mallerstang, who was buried at Penrith 15 March, 1706-7, and had issue
one son and three daughters : —
William, baptized at Penrith 2 March, 1698-9; buried there
23 March, 1698-9. Buried in woollen.
90 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Jane, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 20 December, 1694 ; possibly
married Daniel Ireland (p. 88).
Ruth, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 18 December, 1696 ; buried there
8 March, 1697-8.
Sarah, baptized at Penrith 13 July, 1702 ; buried there i January,
1702-3.
Anne, baptized at Penrith 30 March, 1 704 ; perhaps buried there
II April, 1 7 13. The latter entry is " dau. of Richard 1^
Elizabeth," but there is no entry of the birth of another Anne
by the second marriage.
The above " burial in woollen " was the last entry of this nature at
Penrith. During the reign of Charles II. so powerful were the woollen
interests that two Acts (18-19 '^"d 30 Chas. II.) were passed, directing that
every one, rich or poor, should be buried in woollen shrouds only, and an
affidavit taken that no linen, silk, or other material had been used. The
Friends were lined because they were unable to swear to the affidavits,
although they had used the woollen materials. The Acts were repealed
about 1698. In Scotland the law was exactly the reverse, an Act having
been passed in 1686 prescribing burial in Scotch Hnen only.
Richard Birkbeck apparently married secondly Elizabeth . . . ., but I
have no other record of the marriage except the fine paid in 17 12 (p. 88)
and the baptism of their son. She was buried at Penrith 31 March, 1722,
having had one son Richard, baptized at Penrith 22 May, 1711.
JOHN BIRKBECK, second son of William (p. 87), baptized at
Kirkby Stephen 14 March, 1677-8, was left by his father's will one-third of his
husbandry gear, so he was presumably to carry on the farms with his elder
brother. He married, 22 June, 1701, at St. Lawrence, Appleby, Mary,
daughter of Robert Jackson of Soulby in the parish of Kirkby Stephen
(marriage licence dated 2 June). He was present at a boundary riding of
Mallerstang Manor in 1 704, and signed the memorandum. From sundry
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 91
deeds and manuscripts sent me by Mr. Joseph Torbock, the owner of
Outhgill, Mallerstang, it appears that from 1707, when he was described as
of Shoregill, Mallerstang, till 17 14, he bought several small estates at
Angerholm, Parracks, and Hazelgill, all close to Deepgill.
In the Appleby Castle rental books there are many entries of fines paid
by John Birkbeck. In the first case in 1698 the fine was ;^i 19s. on
3s, per annum ; and from the fine being only eleven years' rental, while later
ones were fifteen and sixteen years', this may have been paid on his father's
death for the "parcels of ground" which the latter purchased in 1659
(ride p. 83), being the same rental, and Richard only paid in 1698 on the older
inheritance at los. 8d. rental. He seems to have bought the other land back
from John four years later, and then paid sixteen years' rental ; probably
John wanted money in order to purchase other land in Mallerstang, as the
same year he paid j^n 7S- 4d., being sixteen years' fine on 14s. 2^d. per
annum. There are several other fines on purchases down to the year 171 2.
In 1 7 14 he was living at Westend, Hellbeck in Aysgarth, a parish in
Yorkshire adjoining Mallerstang, and was selling his Mallerstang properties ;
but in January, 171 5, the entry of the baptism of his second son in the
Kirkby Stephen Register describes him as of Angerholme, although he had
sold it two years previously for ;^56o. In 1738 he was a mercer in
London, and described in the administration of his son John^ as of the parish
of St. Mary-at-Hill, and was not a Quaker, as he had been duly sworn.
At Setde there are a series of letters from him to his nephew William,
dated from 18 July, 1738, to 30 August, 1740, chiefly relating to sending
silk materials, etc., to Settle, and purchasing woollen goods from Settle. He
was carrying on business on his own account, and often complaining of the
badness of trade. One of the letters, dated 21 October, 1738, says, " My
son John was taken very ill 70 miles out of town, and I was obliged to go
to him, and he departed this life the next day after I was with him, and my
* Probate Court, Somerset House.
N 2
92 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
son Jeffrey is at the point of death ; it will be a great trouble to me, but I
hope I shall gett it over in a little time." And in another letter, after the
death of his nephew's wife, he writes to him, " I am very sorry for your
loss, but wee must submitt to the will of God," and then goes on about
buying stockings from Settle; but trade is very bad, and "pray do not draw
soon for money." A letter dated 15 November, 1739, mentions his wife
as living. There is no entry relating to him or his family in the St. Mary-
at-Hili Parish Register. The last mention I have found of him is in a suit
of the Earl of Thanet, 27 November, 1742, when he is scheduled as still
being a tenant of the Manor of Mallerstang ;^ but he may have been living
in London.
John Blrkbeck had issue two sons and one daughter : —
John, buried at St. John the Baptist, Peterborough, 28 September,
1738. Administration of his goods, chattels, and credits
granted to his father.
Jeffrey, baptized at KIrkby Stephen 20 January, 1714-5; "at the
point of death " 21 October, 1738.
Isabel, baptized at Kirkby Stephen 17 May, 1702.
Chancery Decree, Roll No. 1827.
( 93 )
BIRK BECKS OF SETTLE.
As will be seen, William Birkbeck, who left the home of his parents in
Mallerstang, and went to Settle, became a member of the Society of Friends.
George Fox, the founder of the Society, was well known in the district,
having come to Westmorland as early as 1652. He soon had many
followers there, especially at Kendal, Orton, and Ravenstonedale. George
Whitehead, who was born at Orton about the year 1635, was perhaps the
most famous of the early Quaker missionaries, and from 1652 to 1672 his
life was a series of persecutions and imprisonments. He lived to enjoy
the favour of James II., William III., and George I. The effect of George
Fox's preaching was very great, and strengthened as it was by persecution,
Quakerism became deeply rooted in the county. We cannot wonder that
George Fox made so many converts in Westmorland, when (to quote an article
in the " Quarterly Review") the poorly endowed parishes were not provided
with such ministry of the Gospel as could command general respect. Once
it would not have been thought at all unnatural to say of a graceless
character, " He keeps vara bad company, t'parson and sich."'
There were Friends in Mallerstang early in Quaker history, as in the
return made in 1676 to Archbishop Sheldon of Nonconformists in Maller-
stang, already mentioned (p. 86), there are the names of some whose
marriage or death appear in the Friends' Registers. The first Friends'
* "Quarterly Review," April, 1867, p. 380.
94 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Meeting-house in England was built in 1688 by George Fox at Swarthmoor,
near Ulverston, and still contains his folio Bible, with the chain by which it
was formerly attached to the minister's gallery. Over the porch is the
inscription, "Ex dono G. F. 1688." But before that date there was a
regular " Monthly Meeting " at Ravenstonedale, which is only five miles
across Wild Boar Fell from Deepgill, the registers of which contain names
well known in Mallerstang. The first entry I copied was " 1663, 3 mo. 3.
Mar'^ Edmund Shaw & Margaret Fawcett." Both families lived in houses
on the Deepgill estate, and a Shaw married a sister of William Birkbeck
(p. 86). The ancient Ravenstonedale Meeting-house is now a barn, with
the sadly neglected burial-ground adjoining.
There were formerly some peculiar privileges attached to the parish of
Ravenstonedale : a court of probate, right of sanctuary, and felons could
not be taken out of the parish by the sheriff, but were tried by a court of
the tenants of the manor.
At Sedbergh, eight miles further south, there was also a meeting,
where Richard Armitstead of Settle, and Jane Shaw, the parents of William
Birkbeck's wife, were married 10 March, 1 680-1.
The following remarks of Mr. Thomas Hodgkin, in his " Life of George
Fox," afford some explanation of the very little assistance I have had from
family records in tracing the early history of our ancestors, but I fear the
eighteenth century will be found to possess less interest than the time before
they migrated to Settle : —
Another point which may be noticed in this narrative of Fox's early years is
his extraordinary silence as to those who were most nearly connected with him by
blood. After the opening sentences in the journal, we have nothing more about
his parents ; and the relations alluded to are mere shadowy forms to us, even the
degree of the relationship to the writer not being stated. Something like this
appears to have been the mood of mind in which most of the early Friends looked
upon their old homes, and on those who had once inhabited them. They have
themselves passed through the Red Sea, and care not to ask or to tell of what may
have happened in the land of Egypt. Thus it conies to pass that with very few
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
95
exceptions the pedigrees of modern Quaker families go back to the middle of the
seventeenth century, and there stop. There is generally full and precise informa-
tion up to the first member of the family, who was a Quaker, and beyond that all
is a blank.
WILLIAM BIRKBECK of Settle, son of William Birkbeck of
Deepgill (p. 87), was most probably by the second marriage, but there is
no entry at Kirkby Stephen of his baptism, most likely owing to the
numerous gaps in the register. It appears to have been very irregularly kept
at the probable time of his birth. Several entries of the years 1680 and
168 1 are interpolated after 1655, with the following note: " Al these
misplaced ffor want of Bringing in to the Clarke in due time, sett downe
Heare being a vacant place by a frind to the Regest'' and att p'sent parish
Clarke Jeoffi-ey Thompson : Omited by John Bilbow former Clarke as may
Appeare by Hes writing. Written the S"" day of November 1684." And
immediately after October 1681, and headed, " Mallerstang as follows," are
several entries with inconsecutive dates, 1680 being placed after 1684 — from
the heading it would appear that they were Mallerstang entries — one of
these was the baptism of Isabell Birkbeck, 3 August, 1680.
Family tradition speaks of Isabel as his mother ; if so, he was her
second son, and if he were born in 1679, after the twins John and Frances,
and before Isabell, he would have been 72 at his death. It is possible that
his parents had come under Quaker influence, and that neither William nor
Margaret were baptized at all ; and his father's will, directing his " Christian
burial at the discretion of his executrix," instead of the common direction of
burial In his parish churchyard, looks rather like it ; however, he was
buried at Kirkby Stephen Church.
He was left by his father's will ^^15 5s., at the then value of
money a considerable sum for a yeoman to leave to a younger son, the
elder sons having only received fs. in cash. It would look as though
William were already engaged in business, where the money would be of
96 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
greater advantage to him ; and a family tradition that he was disinherited
for turning Quaker is certainly not borne out.
He established himself in business at Settle, and was there as early as
12 June, 1698, where his name appears as a witness to the marriage of John
Armitstead at the Friends' Meeting, so probably he had been converted before
that date. He soon received the confidence of the Friends, as in February,
1 701 (12 mo. 1700, O.S.), he was Registrar to the Monthly Meeting,
and may have been so previously, as the minute-book of Settle Monthly
Meeting, which contains many references to his name, only commences at
that date. He was annually reappointed Registrar for over thirty years.
One minute in October, 1703, tells of his engagement : " This day William
Birkbeck did signifie to us here that he didd intend to lay before our Mo.
Mtg. his intention of Marriage w"' Sarah Armistead. This Meeting
considering of and nothing appearing to obstruct ye same, leaves them to
proceed according to intentions." In October, 1 704, "George Foxe's
Journal is in W. Birkbeck's hands this month." i March, 1705, he is
" desired to accompany Travelling friends on y'' Journey this month if
occasion be," and he continued to give his assistance in these missionary
labours for thirty years. In 1729 he is appointed " to take care to get this
Meeting-house made more commodious and warm according as is proposed,"
but in spite of his improvements the Meeting-house does not seem to have
been very comfortable, as in 1732 he was " appointed to get some of ye most
necessary places in ye Roofe of ye Meeting-house stopt with moss and other
things he thinks proper to be done in order to Repair it and also to see if any
thing can be done to prevent it Raining into the Stable " — a stable was a
necessary adjunct to the Meeting-house, as some of the Friends would have
had long distances to ride to their worship. In the yearly accounts of " yf
collections made within Setle Meetting for y" Relief of poor fr'^s in y" year
.... as fFolloweth," commencing 1702, his subscription appears regu-
larly every month. The minutes contain many entries of distraint for
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 97
non-payment of Easter offerings, tithes, and militia assessments, in which
the Birkbecks regularly figure. The amounts were trifling, but were
run up by costs, e.g., in 1723 and the following year 53 lbs. of cheese
were seized from William Birkbeck to satisfy Easter dues, amounting to
one shilling and eightpence.
A manuscript in the writing of my father, Henry Birkbeck of Keswick,
states that William Birkbeck, his great-grandfather, came to Settle from
Deepgill about the year 1680 or 1690, and in 17 16 built a house then
standing in a street near the Bank, over the door of which were the letters
W. S. B. ; but from a Chancery suit in 1730 relating to William Birkbeck's
house in Settle, it appears that it was built about the year 168 i, and some
time after 17 14 he bought the remainder of the lease of 3000 years, which
commenced 1681 ;^ probably he enlarged the house in 1716. The
facsimile of his signature is taken from his answer to the suit.
.^^/^ p^/^
If this date of his going to Settle is correct, he must have been by his
father's first marriage, but in that case he would have been a very old man
when he died.
The business which he carried on at Settle as a woollen and general
merchant was very successful, and later on, to an extensive trade in wool-
stapling was added the taking money on deposit, making loans, and the
sale of bills on London, which gradually grew into a banking business.
His description at his marriage in the Friends' Register was " Glover and
Fellmonger."
In 1745 he (or possibly one of his sons) appears to have warned the
Lord Mayor of York of the arrival of Charles Edward and the Highlanders
at Kendal. Dr. Burton says, "Upon my being seen, although a prisoner
^ Chancery Proceedings, 1714 — 1758, Zincke, No. iSjz.
98 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
with the Highlanders, a Quaker, one B — rb — k of Settle, who abounded
more with the evil spirit and malice than with meekness and truth, sent the
news express to York."' The imprisonment would seem to have been only
a colourable one, as Dr. Burton was a strong Jacobite.
He married at the Friends' Meeting-house at Settle 1 1 November,
1703, Sarah, daughter of Richard Armitstead, late of Settle. In the
list of those present at the marriage there Is no Birkbeck name ; possibly
only members of the Society signed as " Testes." She was born 17 June,
1684, and died 7 April, 1747, buried at Settle. Her family was an old one
at Settle, as Laurencius del Armetsted, freeman, paid 3s. 4d. poll tax at
Giggleswick (Settle) 2 Richard II. They were early converts to Quakerism.
A report of the Settle monthly meeting gives an account of John Armitstead,
then living, who, when a young man, in 1652 or 1653 took pity on William
Dewsbury and invited him to his mother's house after he had been pulled
down and beaten for standing on the Cross and preaching on a market day.
William Birkbeck's wilP was dated 23 June, 1 749. He died 2 October,
1 75 1, and was buried at Settle, having had issue three sons and two
daughters : —
1. William {tide hifrci).
2. Richard, born 29 September, 171 1 ; died 9 June, 1727.
3. John (p. 116).
1. Jane, born 3 September, 1709; married Josiah Forster of
Tottenham; died i January, 1763. The late Right Hon.
W. E. Forster, M.P., was her great-grandson.
2. Sarah, born 2 February, 1721 ; died 19 December, 1728.
WILLIAM BIRKBECK of Settle, eldest son of WiUiam {vide supra),
born at Settle 31 August, 1705, inherited under his father's will all his lands
and houses. He was brought up in the way in which he should go, for
1 "British Liberty Endangered" (John Burton, M.D., York), p. 28.
- York Probate.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 99
his name when he was 17 appears as having given is. 6d. towards the
collection for the relief of poor Friends, and also constantly figures among
the distraints for non-payment of tithes and militia assessments.
He continued the business which his father had established. He
married first Sarah, third daughter of Richard Morris of Rugeley, surgeon ;
she was born 30 October, 1706 ; married at Stafford 5 May, 1730 ; died at
Cockermouth 2 May, 1 740, having had one son and three daughters : —
I. Morris, born 4 November, 1734 (p. loi).
1. Prescilla, born 15 April, 1731 ; died 22 December, 1733.
2. Sarah, born 16 February, 1733 ; married, 3 May, 1764, John Fell
of Ulverston.
3. Esther, born 22 August, 1737 ; died 5 July, 1741.
The following remarkable story of her death-bed I have condensed from
an account (in the " Haunted Homes of Great Britain," by J. H. Ingrave)
written by the late Mrs. Charles Fox of Trebah, near Falmouth,
supplemented by Mrs. Fox's notes, sent me by her daughter Mrs. Edmund
Backhouse : — Sarah Birkbeck had been in Scotland with a committee of
Friends on a religious visit, and on their way back to Yorkshire she was
seized with illness at Cockermouth. She had three weeks before left her three
children at Settle with their father, under the care of a cousin, Mrs. Fairbank ;
the latter promised to keep a journal of all that concerned the children
during their mother's absence, the post in those days being both uncertain
and costly. The illness was so sudden that she died before her husband
even heard that she was ill, and the Friends at Cockermouth with whom
she was staying, seeing the hopeless nature of the attack, also kept notes of
her last hours for the satisfaction of her family. One morning, between
seven and eight o'clock, on Mrs. Fairbank going into the children's room at
Settle, she found them all sitting up in their beds in a state of great
excitement and delight, crying out, " Mamma has been here ;" and the
youngest child said, " She called ' Come, Esther.'" Nothing could persuade
loo THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
them that they were mistaken, and the occurrence was carefully noted down
to entertain the mother on her return. That same morning, as Sarah
Birkbeck lay dying on her bed at Cockermouth, she said, •' I should be ready
to go if I could but see my children." She closed her eyes, it was thought
to open them no more, but after ten minutes of perfect stillness she looked
up brightly, saying, " I am ready now, I have been with my children," and
then passed peacefully away. When the notes taken at the two places
were compared, the day, hour, and minute were the same.
In Mrs. Fox's notes she wrote ; —
One of the cliiklrcu, Sarah, was my grandmother, afterwards wife of Dr. Fell of
Ul version, from whom I had the above account almost literally as I have repeated it.
The elder one was Morris Birkbeck. Both lived to old age, and retained to the last
so solemn and reverential a remembrance of tlie circumstance that they would
rarely speak of it or permit any allusion to it, lest it shoidd be treated with doubt or
levity. Esther, the youngest child, died soon after (5 July, 1741). Her hi-other and
sister onlv heard the child say that her mother had called her, but could not speak
with any certainty of having themselves heard the words, nor did they seem sensible
of any connnunication from her, but simply of ber standing there and looking
at them.
My grandmother and her brother were both persons remarkable for strong
matter-of-fact rather than imaginative minds, to whom it was especially difficult to
accept any thing on faith or merely hearsay evidence, and who by nature would be
disposed to reject w hatever seemed beyond the region of common e.x]ierience.
William Birkbeck married secondly at Kendal, 2 May, 1744, Deborah,
third daughter of John and Deborah Wilson of Kendal, who survived him
and died 14 May, 1781, having had seven sons and one daughter : —
1. William, born 18 December, 1745 (p. 106).
2. John, born 9 October, 1747 (p. i 10).
3. Thomas, born 7 March, 1749 ; died 21 March, 1752.
4. Richard, born 26 February, 1751 ; died 3 September, 1771.
5. James, born 8 May, 1752 ; died 14 January, 1753.
6. Thomas, born 8 September, 1753 ", died 11 August, 1759.
7,. James, born 29 September, 1755 ; '^'^^^ ^ April, 1763.
MORRIS BIRKBECK AND HIS WIFE.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. loi
I. Deborah, born 9 December, 1756 ; died unmarried; buried at
Plymouth 15 February, 1821.
William Birkbeck died 15 September, 1772, and was buried at Settle.
MORRIS BIRKBECK of Wanborough, Surrey, eldest son of William
and Sarah (p. 99), born at Settle 4 November, 1734. He does not appear
to have been in the Settle business, but from a letter in the box of papers at
Settle before-mentioned, he would seem in 1784 to have been engaged in
an insurance business in London, Birkbeck and Blakes. I do not know
when he left Settle, but on his second marriage he is described in the
Friends' Register as "late of Settle." In 1773 he was in America
inspecting an estate of 1280 acres near New Garden in North Carolina,
which he purchased, but he returned to England in 1774, and later on settled
at Wanborough, near Guildford. He married first, 9 July, 1762, at Wray,
Lancashire, Hannah Bradford of Lancaster; she died 27 January, 1764,
buried at Settle, leaving one son Morris {I'ide infra). He married secondly,
22 August, 1776, at Ballytore, co. Kildare, Sarah, daughter of David and
Anne Hall, late of Skipton, Yorks ; she died without issue 17 March, 1804,
burled at Guildford. Morris Birkbeck died 4 April, 18 16, and was buried
at Guildford.
The silhouettes given of Morris Birkbeck, and no doubt of his second
wife Sarah, were lent me by his great-granddaughter Mrs. D'Arcy (p. 105).
MORRIS BIRKBECK (the second) of Wanborough, Surrey, born
23 January, 1764. For several years he was farming at Handford, near
Blandford in Dorset, viz., from 1785 to 1790, but by 1794 he was living at
Wanborough, where he had a large farm of 1600 acres, and was considered
a gentleman farmer of the first order, and in advance of his age.' He had
a flock of Merino sheep, apparently their first introduction into England.^
His political views seem also to have been so advanced that he thought it
1 " Life and Letters of iSIrs. Sewell," p. 13.
- Add. MSS. 33,112, fo. 214.
102 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
advisable to leave England, and purchased 16,000 acres in Illinois, where
he founded the town of New Albion.
His books — " Notes of a Journey through France," 1 8 14, " Notes of a
Journey in America," 18 17, and " Letters from Illinois," 18 18 — shew him
to have been a keen observer as a botanist and geologist, as well as a practical
farmer. The " Notes on America " were reviewed in the " Quarterly
Review " by Gifford, who wrote to Murray, " Birkbeck appears to be the
most dangerous man that ever wrote from America."' There are several
references to him in Cobbett's " Ride," abusing him heartily, as was the fate
of most of Cobbett's friends.
He married at Wandsworth, 24 April, 1794, Prudence, daughter of
Richard and Prudence Bush of Wandsworth, Surrey. She died 25 October,
I 804, ast. 29, and was buried at Guildford.
Morris Birkbeck was drowned when swimming his horse across the
river Wabash In Illinois, In June, 1825, on returning from a visit to Robert
Owen. He had four sons and three daughters : —
1. Richard (p. 103).
2. Morris (p. 103).
3. Samuel Bradford (p. 104).
4. Charles (p. 106).
1. Hannah, born 9 March, 1796; died at Wanborough 19 May,
1814.
2. Eliza, born 27 July, 1797 ; married at Illinois, 1822, Gilbert
Titus Pell; died 1880, having had issue one son and two
daughters.
3. Prudence, born 9 October, 1800; married at Illinois, 1823,
Francis Hanks; died at Zacatecas in Mexico 3 August, 1833,
having had issue three daughters.
' "Memoirs of John Murray," vol. ii., p. 51.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 103
RICHARD BIRKBECK, eldest son of Morris and Prudence (p. 102),
born at Wanborough 13 January, 1795 ; married at Albion, Illinois, U.S.A.,
12 April, 1820 or 1 821, Ann, daughter of John Wood of Killinghurst,
Chiddingfold, Surrey, and afterwards of Shawnetown, Illinois. She died
circa 1878 ; he died in 1839, having had one son and one daughter : —
Morris, born .... February, 1830; died unmarried 10 May, 1861.
Prudence, born 10 November, 1824 ; married, 27 June, 1844,
Richard Ford of Harmony, Indiana, U.S.A., by whom she has
issue five sons and one daughter.
MORRIS BIRKBECK (the third), second son of Morris and Prudence
(p. 102), of Bradford, Yorkshire, born at Wanborough 10 February, 1799 ;
married at Hamburg, 18 February, 1837, Bertha, daughter of Christian
Heinrich Engelland, who died at Shortlands, Kent, 18 November, 1882.
He died at Bradford i September, 1862, having had issue four sons and three
daughters : — ^ •
1. Morris (ride infrci). i. Katherine (p. 104).
2. Charles {vide infra). 2. Bertha (p. 104).
3. Frederick {vide infra). 3. Mary (p. 104).
4. Edward (p. 104).
MORRIS BIRKBECK (the fourth), eldest son of Morris and Bertha
{vide supra), of Dippen Hall Cottage, Farnham, Surrey, born at Bradford
22 November, 1838, a Civil Engineer in the Indian Public Works ; married
at Ealing, 16 May, 1894, Edith Marion, second daughter of John Milner
Duffield of Gibraltar, formerly of Medenhall, Norfolk.
CHARLES BIRKBECK {vide supra),born at Bradford 2 May, 1842,
was Lieutenant Royal Engineers ; died at the Cape of Good Hope
14 July, 1874.
FREDERICK BIRKBECK {vide supra), born at Bradford 21 May,
1844, was a Magistrate In the Indian Civil Service; died at Bradford
25 September, 1874.
I04 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
EDWARD BIRKBECK (p. 103), born at Bradford 26 August, 1845 ?
married at Wimbledon, 10 March, 1884, Annie Caroline, daughter of
John Milner Duffieid of Gibraltar, and has had issue two sons and five
daughters : —
1. Morris, born at Bradley, Bovey Tracey, Devon, 5 December, 1886.
2. Edward, born at Ealing 9 November, 1889.
1. Bertha, born at Gibraltar 22 August, 1885.
2. Ruth, born at Bradley 2 April, 1888.
3. Mary, born at Ealing 2 March, 1891.
4. Grace, born at Ealing 20 February, 1895 ; died at Mugairi, near
St. Jean de Luz, France, 11 July, 1898.
5. Joan, born at St. Jean de Luz 20 September, 1897.
KATHERINE (p. 103), born 14 August, 1840 ; married,
10 August, 1864, William Wilson Harris of Bradford, banker, who died
18 November, 1875. ^^e died 24 May, 1879, leaving issue one son and
one daughter.
BERTHA (p. 103), born 27 November, 1848 ; died — September, i 851.
MARY (p. 103), born 7 June, 1850; married, 28 August, 1879,
Bernard Francis Harris of The Meadows, Betchworth, Surrey, stockbroker,
by whom she has three sons and two daughters.
SAMUEL BRADFORD BIRKBECK (p. 102), born 18 June, 1802 ;
married at Zacatecas, Mexico, Damiana Valdes (now living at Glenmore,
Rockhampton, Queensland) ; he died at Rockhampton 5 June, 1867, having
had issue nine sons and one daughter ; —
1 . Carlos Narciso, born at S. Clemente, Zacatecas, 29 October, i 840 ;
died unmarried at Rockhampton 30 April, 1883.
2. Enrique F'eliciano, born at Zacatecas 9 June, 1842; died at
Zacatecas 25 March, 1843.
3. Alfredo Eluterio, born at Zacatecas 20 February, 1844; died
unmarried at Rockhampton 14 December, 1898.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 105
4. Robert Epifanio, born at Zacatecas 7 April, i 846 ; in the Chief
Engineer's Office, Brisbane, Queensland ; married at Rock-
hampton Frances J. L. L. Clement, and has issue two sons and
one daughter : —
1. Francis M. C., born 14 April, 1871 ; married
Martha Ann Butler, by whom he has two
daughters : —
1. Mabel, born 9 January, 1895.
2. A daughter, born — November, 1898.
2. Gilbert C. S. L., born 15 March, 1876.
I. Dora M. C. J., born 3 May, 1880.
5. Henry Angel, born at Zacatecas 2 August, 1850 ; died unmarried
at Coonamble, New South Wales, 13 July, 1882.
6. Samuel Bradford, born at Zacatecas 16 August, 1852; living
unmarried at Glenmore, Rockhampton, Queensland.
7. Morris Jerome, born at Zacatecas 30 September, 1854; died
unmarried at Rockhampton i January, 1884.
8. Arthur Damian, born at Zacatecas 27 September, 1856 ; married
at Rockhampton, 7 February, 1882, Grace Kilgour, by whom
he had one daughter, who died an infant; living 1899 at
Glenmore, Rockhampton.
9. George Lucio, born at Zacatecas 13 December, 1858; living at
Glenmore, unmarried.
I. Maria C. Elena de la Trinidad, born at Zacatecas 6 March, i 848 ;
married at Sydney, New South Wales, — , 1872,
William K. D'Arcy of Stanmore Hall, Middlesex (born
II October, 1849). She died at Stanmore Hall 19 December,
1897, having had issue.
Mr. D'Arcy married secondly, 7 February, 1899, Mrs.
Nutting of 7 Old Cavendish Street, Marylebone, Middlesex.
io6 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
CHARLES BIRKBECK {vide p. 102), born at Wanborough
I October, 1803 ; married, 1836, Josephita, daughter of ... . Valeiiruela,
a Mexican lady. He died s.p. 1867.
WILLIAM BIRKBECK, merchant and banker of Setde, son of
William and Deborah [vide p. 100), born 18 December, 1745. He was a
partner in the Settle business, which in 1791 was amalgamated with that of
Alcock and Co. of Skipton under the name of the Craven Bank. Among the
family papers in the possession of the late Rev. William John Birkbeck are his
diaries, commencing 1765, the earlier ones written in French, but they contain
little matter of interest. He died at Settle 24 November, i 805, having married
at Kendal, i July, 1 77 1 , Sarah, only surviving daughter of George Braithwaite
of Kendal. She died i June, 1 790, having had four sons and one daughter : —
1. William {ride infra).
2. George (p. 108).
3. Isaac, born 6 March, 1779 ; died 7 March, 1783.
4. Forster, born 6 September, 1783 ; died 27 April, 1787.
I. Alice, born 10 January, 1774; married, 16 October, 1805,
Benjamin Hornor of York. She died at Halstead, Essex,
leaving issue two sons and one daughter.
WILLIAM BIRKBECK, eldest son of William and Sarah {vide
supra), born 10 April, 1772, a partner in the Settle Bank, was the first
member of the Society of Friends to qualify as a Justice of the Peace (for
the West Riding of Yorks), and took great interest In the establishment of
mechanics' institutes by his brother George. He married at Park End,
Preston Patrick, Westmorland, 14 September, 1796, Rachel, youngest
daughter of Nathan Gough of Kendal, who died at Burnley 20 May, 1846.
William Birkbeck died at Linton, Skipton, 7 January, 1838, having had
issue two sons and three daughters : —
I. William, born 2 September, 1803; died 14 September, 18 14;
buried at Winchmore Hill.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 107
2. Thomas [vide infra).
1. Susannah, born 3 February, 1801 ; married at Settle, 3 July, 1822,
Edward William Wakefield of Birklands, Kendal, who died
6 February, 1858. She died 25 March, 1898, having had issue
three sons.
2. Sarah, born 29 June, 1 806 ; married at Settle, 3 July, 1 834, George,
eldest son of Robert Stansfeld of Field House, Sowerby, Yorks,
who died at Ashfield, Settle, 3 March, 1869. She died at
Ashfield 1 8 July, 1 869, leaving issue four sons and one daughter.
3. Elizabeth, born 5 April, 181 1 ; died unmarried 7 July, 1835.
THOMAS BIRKBECK {vide supra) of Settle, born at Setde
7 November, 1808, J. P. for West Riding of Yorkshire and for Lancashire ;
married, i July, 1840, at Giggleswick, Anne, daughter of Rev. John Carr_
He died at Taunton 26 February, 1863, leaving issue one son and three
daughters : —
I. Rev. William John Birkbeck, born 24 June, 1846; Exeter
College, Oxon, B.A. 1869, M.A. 1877; ordained Deacon
1869, Priest 1872 ; Curate of Buckland Newton 1869 ;
Incumbent of Southwick 1876; Vicar of Milborne Port,
Somerset, 1883 ; Vicar of St. Thomas', Salisbury, 1894 ; Rector
of Weston-super-Mare 1898 ; Prebendary of Bath and
Wells 1899. He died at Weston-super-Mare 17 December,
1899.
1. Rachel Susannah, born 20 July, 1844; married at Taunton,
22 June, 1865, Rev. Richard Addison, Bridsh Chaplain at
Madeira, who died 19 October, 1892. She died 17 November,
1894 ; buried at Brompton, leaving issue three daughters.
2. Rosetta Anne, born 4 January, 1848 ; married at Trull, Somerset,
5 September, 1872, Isaac Badcock of loi St. George's Square,
London, Queen's Counsel. Has issue one son, Lawrence
p 2
io8 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Henry, who (in accordance with the will of his uncle, the Rev.
W. J. Birkbeck) adopted by Deed Poll, 8 January, 1900, the
name of Carr Birkbeck, instead of Badcock. She also has issue
three daughters.
3. Emmeline Carr, born 8 June, 1851 ; living 1900.
Dr. GEORGE BIRKBECK, second son of William and Sarah
(p. 106), of 4 Finsbury Square, London, born at Settle 10 January, 1776.
Studied at Edinburgh University, where he took his M.D. degree 1799,
and was appointed Professor at the Andersonian University, Glasgow, being
only 23 years of age. He settled in London as a Physician in 1804. In
conjunction with Lord Brougham, who had been his fellow-student at
Edinburgh, he founded the Mechanics' Institution, of which he was the
first President in 1824 : it was afterwards called in his honour the Birkbeck
Institution. In 1827 he was one of the founders of University College,
London.
He married first Catherine, daughter of Sampson Lloyd, 1 5 May,
1806, at Berdswell, Warwickshire. She died 12 March, 1807, leaving
issue one son —
William Lloyd (p. 109).
Dr. Birkbeck married secondly, at Hampstead, 9 July, 18 17, Anna
Margaret, youngest daughter of Henry Gardner of Liverpool. She died
2 July, 1875, having had issue three sons and two daughters : —
1. George Henry (p. 109).
2. Charles, born 6 December, 1822 ; died 6 August, 1824.
3. Thomas Brougham, born 3 June, 1826; died unmarried
13 January, 1859.
1. Anna Margaret, born 5 May, 1818; married, — June, 1856,
Lieut.-Col. Mednyanzsky. She died s.p. 15 March, 1863.
2. Frances Georgina, born 11 June, 1824 ; died 25 December, 1858.
Dr. Birkbeck died i December, 1841 ; buried at Kensal Green.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 109
WILLIAM LLOYD BIRKBECK, son of George and Catherine
(p. 108), born at 4 Finsbury Square 3 March, 1807 ; M.A. and Fellow of
Trinity College, Cambridge ; elected to the Downing Professorship i860 ;
Master of Downing College, Cambridge, 1885 ; Q.C. and Reader in Equity
at Lincoln's Inn from 1852 to 1872. In 1861 he gave a course of lectures
in his own house at Downing College to the Prince of Wales, from whom
he received a silver inkstand with an inscription. He succeeded his father
as President of the Birkbeck Institution. He died unmarried at Downing
College 25 May, 1888 ; buried at Kensal Green.
GEORGE HENRY BIRKBECK (p. 108) of 31 King Henry's Road,
Primrose Hill, London, born 19 January, 1820 ; a Civil Engineer.
Married first, at Hampstead, 6 May, 1856, Margaret Jane Jackson,
step-daughter of James Braidwood, Superintendent of the London Fire
Brigade. She died 3 June, 1883, having had issue eight sons and one
daughter : —
1. George, born in London 5 April, 1857, an Ironmaster at
Swansea.
2. James Braidwood of Avenue Lodge, Upper Avenue Road,
Regent's Park, Solicitor; born at Henley-on-Thames 14 Sep-
tember, 1858; married, 30 September, 1891, at St. Mary-
le-bone, Lillian Henrietta, third daughter of Arthur White,
Barrister-at-Law, by whom he has had issue : —
Harleigh JeofFrey Braidwood, born 31 August, 1894;
died 19 February, 1895.
Vera Lillian Marie Evelyn Braidwood, born 24 July,
1892.
3. Thomas Brougham of Coolgardie, Western Australia, born in
London 3 May, i860.
4. Henry, of 34 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
born in London 10 February, 1862 ; married, 30 September,
no THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
1 89 1, at St. Mary-le-bone, Irene Evelyn, youngest daughter of
Arthur White, Barrister-at-Law, by whom he has issue : —
1. Vivian White, born 30 November, 1892.
2. Cyril Gardner, born 24 December, 1893.
1. Violet Winifred, born 28 August, 1895.
2. Esme Evelyn, born 7 August, 1898.
5. Arthur of Darlington, born in London 20 IVIay, 1864.
6. Frank of Swansea, born at Rockferry 30 November, 1867;
married at Newcastle, 8 February, 1899, Alice Louisa Brown.
7. William Lloyd, born at Rockferry 24 January, 1871 ; died
8 May, 1871.
8. Albert Ernest Gardner of 31 King Henry's Road, Primrose Hill,
born at Rockferry 10 February, 1872.
I. Anna Margaret, born at Rockferry 8 March, 1866.
He married secondly, at Woolwich, Martha Russel, by whom he has
one daughter —
Grace Mary, born in London 18 November, 1887.
JOHN BIRKBECK of King's Lynn, Norfolk, second son of William
and Deborah (p. 100), born at Settle 9 October, 1747 ; married, 2 August,
1780, at Lammas, Norfolk, Martha, second daughter of Henry Gurney of
Norwich (born 21 May, 1751). John Birkbeck lived at Settle until his
marriage, and was a partner with his brother William in the Settle firm,
which was then combining banking with the old business of woollen
merchants. Shortly after his marriage he went to live in London,' in the
parish of Great St. Helen's," where he carried on an insurance business,
1 " John Birkbeck, lately removed from Norwich to London" (Minute of Norwich
Monthly Meeting, 24 November, 1780).
- Burial of a still-born child, 16 May, 1781 (Friends' Register).
HENRY BIRKBECK OF KESWICK.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. in
acting as agent for his brother-in-law Bartlett Gurney, who was the
principal partner in the Norwich Bank (founded in 1775 by Henry Gurney
and his brother John), and who also carried on an extensive marine insurance
business. Their correspondence often refers to policies on privateers,
although both were Friends.
On I January, 1782, he became a partner in the Lynn branch of the
Norwich Bank, which on that day was started as Gurneys, Birkbeck, and
Co., and went to live in the Bank House at Lynn ; later on he had also
a country house at Hunstanton. He was not gazetted out of the Settle
Bank until 1784.
Among the family papers in the tin box at Settle before-mentioned
are numerous letters from him to his brother at Settle on business matters,
and many allusions to the Settle Bank sending coin to Lynn to pay away ;
apparently very often light half-guineas, wrapped up in bales of cloth, and
forwarded by carrier.
John Birkbeck died 19 June, 1808, at Upton, Essex, at the house ot
his brother-in-law Joseph Cockfield, and was buried at Winchmore Hill,
Middlesex. His wife died at Lynn 18 December, 1822, and was buried
at Norwich.
John Birkbeck left issue one son and one daughter : —
Henry (vide infra).
Jane, born at Lynn 21 September, 1789 ; married at Wells,
Norfolk, 10 September, 181 7, Joseph John Gurney of Earlham
Hall, Norfolk (who died 4 January, 1847), and died 10 June,
1822, leaving issue one son and one daughter.
HENRY BIRKBECK {vide supra) of Keswick Old Hall, Norfolk,
and The Grove, Cromer, Norfolk (the engraving is from a miniature
by De la Cour, painted in 1842), born at Lynn 2 August, 1787 ; became
a partner in the Lynn Bank on the death of his father in 1808, having been
previously at Settle to learn banking there. Li 1825 he left Lynn to
112 . THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
become a partner in the Norwich Bank, and lived at Mangreen Hall until
1830, when he hired Keswick. Old Hall from Hudson Gurney. He
married first, 8 March, 1820, at Wymondham, Norfolk, Jane, second
surviving daughter of Joseph Gurney of The Grove, Lakenham, near
Norwich ; she died at The Grove 20 February, 1821, and was buried at
Norwich, leaving issue one son —
Henry (p. 113).
He married secondly, 31 July, 1823, at Westminster, Elizabeth Lucy,
youngest daughter of Robert Barclay of Clapham, Surrey, and Lombard
Street, Banker ; she died at Keswick 7 December, 1874, and was buried
at Norwich. Henry Birkbeck died 25 December, 1848, and was buried at
Norwich, having had issue by his second marriage four sons and four
daughters : —
1. John, born at Mangreen 4 January, 1827; died at Keswick
21 March, 1845 ; buried at Norwich.
2. William (p. 114).
3. Robert (p. 115).
4. Edward (p. i if)-
1. Jane, born at Mangreen 14 May, 1828 ; married, 14 December,
1847, at Taisburgh, Norfolk, Henry Edmund Gurney of
Nutwood, Gatton, Surrey, third son of Samuel Gurney of
Upton, Essex. She died 24 November, 1888, and was buried
at Reigate, leaving issue one son and seven daughters.
2. Emma, born at Mangreen 5 December, 1829 ; married,
21 December, 1854, at Intwood, Norfolk, George von Bunsen
of Berlin, fourth son of Baron Bunsen. He was many years
Member of the German Reichstag, and died in London
22 December, 1896. She died in London 25 July, 1899,
and was buried at Keswick, leaving issue two sons and five
daughters living.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 113
3. Lucy, born at Keswick 19 December, 1830 ; died unmarried at
7 Ladbroke Terrace, Netting Hill, London, 10 August, 1896;
buried at Keswick.
4. Elizabeth, born at Keswick 15 July, 1834; died 14 December,
1836 ; buried at Norwich.
HENRY BIRKBECK (vide p. 112) of Stoke Holy Cross, Norfolk
(which he inherited from his maternal grandfather), born at Lakenham,
Norfolk, 10 February, 1821 ; J. P. for Norfolk ; High Sheriff of Norfolk
i860 ; Sheriff of Norwich 1854 ; a partner in the Banking firm of
Gurneys and Co; married first at Westacre, 25 October, 1849, Mary
Anne, eldest daughter of Anthony Hamond of Westacre, Norfolk. She died
in London i May, 1862, and was buried at Stoke Holy Cross, leaving issue
three sons and three daughters : —
1. Henry (p. 114).
2. William Redmond, born at Stoke Holy Cross 27 October, 1856 ;
died 31 January, 1870 ; buried at Stoke Holy Cross.
3. Edward Lewis (p. 114).
1. Mary Anne, born at Stoke Holy Cross 19 August, 1851 ; married
at Stoke Holy Cross, 7 June, 1886, Samuel Gurney Buxton of
Catton Hall, Norwich, second son of Sir Edward North Buxton,
Bart. Has issue one son and one daughter.
2. Alice Jane, born at Stoke Holy Cross 4 September, 1854.
3. Katherine Emily, born at Stoke Holy Cross 18 December, 1857.
Henry Birkbeck married secondly, at Hillington, 26 September, 1871,
Etheldreda Isabella Browne, only daughter of Martin William Browne fFolkes,
eldest son of Sir William J. H. fFolkes, Bart., of Hillington Hall, Norfolk.
He died at Stoke Holy Cross i February, 1895, ^'^"^ ^^^ buried at Stoke
Holy Cross, leaving issue by his second marriage two sons and one
daughter : —
I. Martin, born at Stoke Holy Cross 10 November, 1873.
114 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
2. Geoffrey, born at Stoke Holy Cross 12 October, 1875.
I. Margaret, born at Stoke Holy Cross 29 May, 1877.
HENRY BIRKBECK (p. 113) of Stoke Holy Cross and
Westacre, born at Stoke Holy Cross 12 May, 1853 ; a partner in the
Norwich Bank, which was amalgamated with others in 1896 as
Barclay and Co., Limited, of which he is a Director ; married, 24 February,
1 88 1, at Congham, Ysabel Caroline, fourth daughter of Robert Elwes
of Congham, Norfolk, by whom he has issue three sons and three
daughters : —
1. Henry Anthony, born at Bixley, Norfolk, 29 January, 1885.
2. Gervase William, born at Bixley 20 April, 1886.
3. Christopher Robert, born at Keswick 26 January, 1889.
1. Gillian Mary, born at Bixley 25 October, 1882.
2. Judith, born at Bixley 12 July, 1887.
3. Ysabel, born at Keswick 16 June, 1890.
EDWARD LEWIS BIRKBECK (p. 113) of Lexham Hall,
Norfolk, born at Stoke Holy Cross 16 June, i860; a partner in the
Norwich Bank, and Director of Barclay and Co., Limited ; married,
21 April, 1891, at Stanhoe, Norfolk, Emily Augusta, second daughter
of Admiral G. H. Seymour, C.B., by whom he has issue two sons and one
daughter : —
1. Oliver, born at Caistor Old Hall, Norfolk, 6 May, 1893.
2. George, born at Caistor 4 April, 1894.
I. Angela Jane, born at Lexham 16 October, 1898.
WILLIAM BIRKBECK (p. 112) of Thorpe, Norfolk, born at Keswick
3 August, I 832 ; J. P. for Norfolk ; was until 1882 a partner in the Norwich
Bank. He married first, 16 February, 1858, at Woodbastwick, Elizabeth
Margaret, second daughter of Albemarle Cator of Woodbastwick Hall,
Norfolk. She died 2 March, 1859, leaving issue one son —
William John (p. 1 1 5).
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
15
William Birkbeck married secondly, 14 October, 1862, at St. James',
Westminster, Susan Maria, third daughter of Anthony Hamond of Westacre,
by whom he had issue one daughter —
Susan Elizabeth Antonia, born at 4 Seamore Place, London, 27 May,
1865.
He died in London 19 November, 1897, and was buried at Plumstead,
Norfolk.
WILLIAM JOHN BIRKBECK (p. 114) of Thorpe, Norfolk, and
32 Sloane Gardens, London, born at Thorpe 13 February, 1859 ; Magdalen
CoUege, Oxford, B.A. 1881, M.A. 1884; D.L. for Norfolk. Married at
North Runcton,, 4 October, 1883, Rose Katherine, eldest daughter of
Somerville Arthur Gurney of North Runcton, Norfolk, by whom he has had
issue three sons and two daughters : —
1. Benedict, born at 30 Thurloe Square, London, 21 March,
1886.
2. John (twin), born and died 3 April, 1888.
3. Michael, born at North Runcton 4 May, 1889.
1. Elizabeth, born at 30 Thurloe Square 12 April, 1887.
2. Rose (twin), born and died 3 April, 1888.
ROBERT BIRKBECK (p. 112) of Kinloch-Hourn, Inverness-shire,
and 20 Berkeley Square, London, born at Keswick 10 October, 1836 ;
D.L. and J.P. for Inverness-shire ; married, 8 December, 1857, at Downe,
Kent, Mary Harriet, eldest daughter of Sir John William Lubbock, Bart.,
of Lammas, Norfolk, and High Elms, Downe, Kent.
SIR EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart. (p. 112), of Horstead Hall,
Norfolk, and 10 Charles Street, Berkeley Square, London, born at Keswick
II October, 1838; created Baronet 9 March, 1886; M.P. for North
Norfolk January 1879 to 1885, and for East Norfolk from 1885 to 1892 ;
D.L. and J.P. for Norfolk ; Knight of Grace of St. John of Jerusalem ;
a Public Works' Loan Commissioner ; Chairman of the Royal National
Q 2
ii6 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Life-Boat Institution; married, i8 April, 1865, at St. George's, Hanover
Square, London, Mary Augusta, youngest daughter of first Baron Hylton.
Having traced the descendants of the elder Settle branch, we now
return to —
JOHN BIRKBECK, youngest son of William and Sarah (p. 98),
born at Setde 16 February, 1723 ; a merchant at Settle ; married at Kendal,
6 March, 1748, Sarah, fourth daughter of John and Deborah Wilson of
Kendal. She died 9 May, 1773; buried at Settle. John Birkbeck died
20 June, 1 76 1, and was also buried at Settle. He had issue five sons and
two daughters : —
1. John (p. 117).
2. Joseph, born 12 February, 1752 ; died unmarried 23 November,
1820 ; buried at Setde.
3. Wilson, born 15 February, 1754, of Nicholas Lane, London ; an
Ironfounder. He married first, 17 September, 1782, Hannah,
daughter of Robert Plumstead. She died 7 December, 1791,
leaving issue one son —
Robert Plumstead, born 16 June, 1783 ; died at Ply-
mouth I September, 1801.
Wilson Birkbeck married secondly, 16 December, 1801,
Grizell, daughter of Samuel Hoare, who had no issue, and
survived him, marrying subsequently William Allen of Leeds,
and died 1837. Wilson Birkbeck died at Stamford Hill
2 June, 1 81 2, and was buried at Winchmore Hill.
4. Benjamin, born 15 July, 1757; a Miller at Allerton Bywater, near
Leeds, afterwards Merchant at Settle. He died 27 September,
1 8 19, having married, i August, 1784, Jane, daughter of
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 117
Nathaniel English of Leeds, who died 20 January, 1793, having
had issue three sons and one daughter : —
1. Nathaniel, born i November, 1786 ; died unmarried
I September, 1834.
2. John English, born 23 July, 1788 ; died 3 March,
1789.
3. Edward, born 2 September, 1790; died unmarried
15 April, I 814.
I. Jane, born 10 May, 1789 ; died next day.
5. Edward, born 5 July, 1759 ; died 28 November, 1767.
1. Deborah, born 28 February, 1756 ; died an infant (not men-
tioned in her father's will, dated 7 March, 1761).
2. Sarah, born 11 October, 1761 ; married, 14 February, 1799,
Francis Fox of Plymouth. She died 30 October, 1833,
leaving issue one son and one daughter.
JOHN BIRKBECK, eldest son of John and Sarah (p. 116), born at
Settle 22 November, 1749; a partner in the Settle Bank; married at
Lancaster, 12 January, 1779, Mary, daughter of William Dillworth of
Lancaster, who died 7 April, 1830. He died at Settle 25 June, 18 10,
having had issue three sons and four daughters : —
1. Dillworth, born 11 July, 1780 ; died 7 August, 1780.
2. John (p. 118).
3. Dillworth, born 26 January, 1789 ; died 15 May, 1794.
1. Esther, born 7 September, 1783 ; married at Giggleswick, Setde,
26 February, 1824, Joseph Dockray, son of David Dockray
of Lancaster, who died 22 September, 1855. She died at
Lancaster 1 5 June, 1 844, leaving issue one daughter.
2. Mary, born 31 August, 1785 ; died 7 February, 1786.
3. Hannah, born 13 January, 1788 ; married at Airton, Leeds,
18 December, 18 10, John Joseph Nevins, son of Pim Nevins,
ii8 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
who died 20 May, 1870. She died at Clevesdale, Downend, -
Gloucestershire, 21 March, 1863, having had issue five sons
and seven daughters.
4. Sarah, born 20 September, 1793 ; died 22 April, 1794.
JOHN BIRKBECK, son of John and Mary (p. T17), of Anley,
Settle, Banker, born at Settle 12 July, 1781 ; married at Airton, 11 May,
1 81 5, Margaret, daughter of John Ion of Broadmire in Dent, Yorkshire.
She died at Giggleswick 17 June, 1865. John Birkbeck died at Anley
27 July, 1844, having had issue two sons and five daughters : —
1. John (p. 1 19).
2. Joseph (p. 119).
1. Mary, born 29 February, 1816 ; died 7 July, 18 16.
2. Elizabeth, born 5 April, 18 19 ; married at Giggleswick,
5 December, 1843, ^'^v. John Stansfeld, youngest son of
Robert Stansfeld of Field House, Sowerby, Halifax, and
Vicar of Coniston, Yorkshire. She died at Coniston Cold
9 February, 1861, having had issue one son and one
daughter. John Stansfeld died 21 November, 1880, having
married secondly Frances, daughter of James Hamerton of
Hellingfield Peel, and widow of Peter Garforth of Coniston
Hall.
3. Sarah, born 11 November, 1821 ; died 3 May, 1829.
4. Margaret, born 27 June, 1825 ; married at Settle, 3 May, 1850,
Rev. William Frederick Pierson, Perpetual Curate of Settle,
who died 18 August, 1883. She died at Setde 27 February,
I 871, having had issue three sons and one daughter.
5. Sarah Mary, born 9 December, 1834 ; married at Settle, 15 June,
1855, Rev. Mathew Wood, Vicar of Kington, co. Hereford,
who died , 1887, his widow, living at Oxford 1899,
having had issue three sons and one daughter.
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND. 119
JOHN BIRKBECK, eldest son of John and Margaret (p. 118) of
Anley, Settle, born at Settle 6 July 181 7 ; a partner in the Settle Bank ;
J.P. for West Riding of Yorkshire and for Lancashire ; married at Halifax,
9 June, 1 841, Lydia, daughter of Robert Stansfeld of Field House, Sowerby,
Halifax. She died at Settle 6 September, 1886. John Birkbeck died at
Settle 31 July, 1890, having had issue three sons and one daughter : —
1. John (lide infra).
2. Robert Stansfeld (a twin), born at Giggleswick 23 August, 1846 ;
a Major in the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment
of Militia ; a genealogist ; died at the Barracks in York
II July, 1882.
3. George (a twin), born 23 August, 1846 ; died 4 November,
1846.
I. Lydia Margaret, born 8 July, 1844 ; died 28 November, 1844.
JOHN BIRKBECK, son of John and Lydia (wWe iM/jrw), of Anley,
Setde, born at Settle i July, 1842 ; J.P. for West Riding of Yorkshire ;
married at Settle, 3 October, 1867, Rachel Wilhelmina, second daughter
of George Stansfeld of Ashfield, Setde, now living ( 1 900) at Anley. He died
at Mentone 15 April, 1892, leaving issue three sons and one daughter : —
1. John, born at Setde 8 March, 1872; Lieutenant 4th Battalion
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
2. Victor John, born at Setde 27 July, 1873 ; Lieutenant ist Battalion
East Surrey Regiment.
3. Hylbert John, born at Settle 5 September, 1879 ; Lieutenant
ist Battalion West India Regiment.
I. Mary Inez, born at Settle 13 September, 1870.
JOSEPH BIRKBECK, second son of John and Margaret (p. 118),
of LangclifFe, Bournemouth, Dorset, born at Setde 9 June, 1830 ; married,
28 August, 1856, Mary Ehzabeth, daughter of Thomas Lewis Mackesy,
M.D., F.R.C.S., J.P. of Waterford and of Dunkitt, co. Kilkenny.
I20 THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
She died 2 July, 1899, at Woodlands, Wellington, Somerset, and was
buried at Bournemouth. Joseph Birkbeck died 16 June, 1897 ; buried
at Bournemouth, having had issue three sons and one daughter : —
1. Vincent Mackesy, Major in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, born at
Settle 26 June, 1857 ; married at Gouldhurst, 17 July, 1894,
Winifred Agnes, daughter of Robert Henry Alexander of
Brandfold, Gouldhurst, Kent, by whom he has issue two sons
and one daughter : —
1 . Roderick Ion Vincent, born at Bournemouth 2 1 July,
1896.
2. Robert Alexander, born at Auchendinny House,
Midlothian, 8 October, 1898.
I. Norah Mary Winifred, born at Belgaurn 5 July,
1895.
2. John Lewis, born at Settle 25 April, 1859 ; died 7 May, 1881.
3. William Henry, Major in the King's Dragoon Guards ; born at
Settle 8 April, 1863.
I. Edith Margaret, born at Settle 27 November, i860 ; married at
Bournemouth, 21 September, 1886, Francis John Royds Bentley,
eldest son of John Bentley, J. P., D.L., of Birch House, Bolton,
Lancashire, and 36 Portland Place, London ; living 1900 at
Woodlands, Wellington, Somerset.
SKETCH PEDIGREE
iSirfefaecfes of iBlallerstang auD t\)tix Bescenljants.
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG. 123
(The numbers refer u< the pages.)
(103) RiCHARD,=pAnne Wood.
b. i-jgj; d. i8,;i9. m- 1821 ; d. 1878.
(lOj) Morris,
Richard=p:(io3) Prudence,
(105) Morris, = Edith
(103) Charles,
1
(103) Frederick
b. iSjO;
Ford,
b. 1824; m. 1844;
of Dippenhall Marion
b. 1843; d. 1874.
b. 1844; d. 1874
d. 1861, unm.
b. 1820 ;
living
1900. .
living 1900.
Cottage, Farn- Duffield,
ham, Surrey; m. 1894.
b. 1838; livina:
1900.
124
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
(103) MoRRis,=pBertha Engelland,
>f Bradford. Yorks, b. 1799; d. 1862. | b. 1811 ; m. 1837;
(104) Edward,:
b. 1845 ■' living
1900.
( 104) Morris
1). l886;livill;
I i;Oo.
Annie Caro-
line Duffiekl
ni. 1884,
liviiitr 1900,
I
William=f:(i04) Katherink.
Wilson
Harris,
b. 1841;
d. 1875.,
1840; ni.
1879.
1864;
(104) Berti
b. I 848 ;
d. l8s-i.
(104) Edward,
b. 1889; living
1900.
(104) Bertha,
b. 1885 ; living
1900.
(104) Ruth,
b. 1888;
living 1900.
I
Bernard Francis^(i04) Mary,
Harris, b. 1845; ^- 1^5°;
living 1900. m. 1879 ;
I living 1900.
(104) Mary,
b. 189] ; living
1900.
(104) Grace,
b. 1895; d.
1898.
(104) Joan,
b. 1897;
living 1900.
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 125
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
(104) Samuel BRADFORD,=j=Damiana Valdes, m. 1839;
b. 1802; d. 1867. living 1900.
(104) Carlo.s Narcisso, (104) ENRiauE (104) Alfredo (105) Robert EpiFAMO,=j=Prances J. L.L.
b rS'o- d 1883 Feliciano, Eluterio, of Brisbane, Queensland ; Clement, living
b. 1842; d. 1843. b. 1844; d. b. 1846; living 1900. 1900.
1898. !
I ~ \ I
(10.^) Francis M. C.,=pMartha Ann Butler. (105) Gilbert C. S. L., (103) Dora M. C.
b. .871 ; living 1900. I b. 1876; living 1900. b. 1880; living 19c
(101;) Mabel, b. 1895; living 1900. (105) A daughter, b. 1898; living 1900.
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
I \
(106) Charles, = [osefita Valenruda, m. 1836. (102) H\nn\h
>. 1805; d. 1867. b. 1796; d. 1814.
I —] 1
(105) Henrv Angel, (105) Samuki, Bradford, (,05) M„rris Ter„me,
h. 1850 ; d. 1882. .)f Rockhanipton, Queensland; b. i8j2; living 1900. b. iS^; d. 1884.
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS.
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
Hannah Bradford, m. 1763; d. i764.=f(ioi) MoRRi,s,= Sarah Ha!l, m. 1776; d. 1804.
ist wife. j ofWanborough, 2nd wife.
I Surrey; b. 1734;
I d. 1816.
(joi) MoRRis,=pPriidence Bush, m. 1794; d. 1804.
of Wanboroiigh, Surrey; b. 1764; d. 1825. I
27
Gilbert Titus Pell=p(io2) Eliz.s Francis Hanks=p(i02) Prudence,
I b. 1797 ; m. 1822 ; d. 1880. I b. 1800 ; m. 1823 ; d. 1833.
(105) Arthur DAMiAN.^Grace Kilgour, (105) George Lucio, W. K. D'Arcy,=p(ioO Maria C. Elena
ofRockhampton,Queens- ni. 1882. of Rockhampton, Hving 1900. I de la Trinidad- b
land; b. 1856; hving Queensland; b. 1858 ; 1848; m. 1872 ; d. 1807.
1900. I living 1900. ^
A daughter, d. inf.
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
(76) ALEXANDER BIRKBECK,=r
of Blue Grass, Mallerstang ; d. 1582. |
(76) JoHN,=f=Catherine
of Blue Grass and Deepgill ; d. 1619. I
(77) WlLLIAM,=j=.
of Blue Grass; m. before 1604.
(79) HENRY,=f=Anne
sold Blue Grass; d. 1682. I
(79) John,
living 1649.
(79) Agnes,
living 1619.
(79) Margaret, (79) Elizabeth,
living
iving 1619.
(79) William,
Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge ;
b. 1641 ; d. 1694.
(81) Roger, Thomas Harrii
)f London ; living
1676.
(79) Margaret,
living 1676.
(106) William,
(107) THOMAs,=fAnne Carr,
b. 1803; d. 1814.
of Settle; b. | b. 1820 ;
1808; d. 1863. t m. 1840.
Edward Wm. Wakefield,
b. 1799; d. i8j8.
I
(107) Susannah,
m. 1822; d. 1898.
1 n I
(107) Rev. William Rev. Richard=r(io7) Rachel Isaac Badcock,=F{io7) Rosetta
|(iHN, Rector of Addison, I Susannah, b. b, 1848 ; living I Anne, b. 1848 ;
SVeston-super-Mare ; b. 18,32; 1844; m. 1865; 1900. m. 1872; living
b. 1846; d. 1899. d. 1892. I d. 1894. " I 19°°-
A- /K
(108)
Carr,
living
h,MMELINE
b. l8jl;
900.
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 129
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
(81) GEOFFREY,=pIsabel
jf Deepgill, Mallerstaiig ; m. before 1619; d. after 1651. I
d. 1670.
(77) Henry,
living 1619.
(81) John,
sold Deepgill to his
brother William ; b.
before 1619.
I
(81) Nicholas,
b. before 1619. 1670 and 1677.
ist wife.
I I,
d. between=j=(83) WiLLiAM,=pIsabel Bell, m. (82) James
of Deepgill; b. I 1677; d. 1715.
after 1619; d. 2nd wife.
I III
RuthWaller,=:p(87) RicHARD,=rElizabeth John=(86) Isabell, Stephen=(87) Agnes, (87) Margaret,
1. 1688; d.
1707. 1st
wife.
of Penrith ; b.
1663 ; probably
survived 2nd
wife.
Shaw. b. 1657; m. Todd. b. 1666; m. m. 1696 Christo-
1696. 1689. pher Milner.
(89) William,
b, and d. 1699.
I
(90) Jane
b. 1694.
(90) Ruth,
b. 1696 : d. 1698.
(90) Sarah,
b. 1702 ;
d. 1703.
(90) Anne,
b. 1704;
d. 1713.
(90) Richard,
b. 1711.
(99) Prescilla,
b. 1731 ; d. 1733.
(io6) WiLLiAM,=f=Rachel Gough, b. 1770; m. 1796; d. 1846.
of Settle; b. 1772; d. 1838.
George Stansfeld,=p(io7) Sarah,
d. 1869. I b. 1806; m. i8h; d. li
(107) Elizabeth.
b. 1811 : d. 183s.
II II
(109) George, (109) jAMES=pLillian H. White, (109) Thomas (109) HENRY,=pIrene E. (no) A
b. 1857; living Braidwood,
1900. b. 1858; liv-
ing 1900.
I ; living Brougham, b. 1862 ; liv-
1900. b. i860; living ing 1900.
1900.
White, b. 1864
m. 1891 ; 1900.
living
1900.
rthur.
; living
(109) Harleigh Jeoffrey Braidwood, (109) Vera Lillian Marie Evelyn Kraidwood,
b. 1894; d. 1895. ^- '892; living 1900.
S
3°
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
John Fothergil!,=p(83) Jane,
d. 1659. I m. le-jfi.
(83) Helen,
b. before 1619.
(83) Agnes,
b. before 16 19.
Mary Jackson,
living 1739.
= (90) John,
of St. Mary-at-Hill, London; b. 1678;
living 1740 (twin with Frances).
(87) Frances,
b. 1678 ; living 1698 (twin with John).
(92) John,
d. 1738.
(92) Jeotfrey,
b. I 7 15; probably d. 1738.
(92) Is.dell,
b. 1702.
John Fell, d. i8o3=p(99) Sarah,
I b. 1733; m. 1764.
(99) Esther,
b. 1737 ; d. 1741.
Catherine Lloyd, m. 1806; d. i8o7.=p(io8) Dr. GEORCE.^Anna Margaret Gardner, b. J 793 ; m. 1817 ; d. 187
1st wife. b. 1776; d. 1841. 2nd wife.
I I
(109) William Lloyd, Margaret Jane=p(io9) George HENRY,=pMartha Russel
Jackson, m. b. 1820; living 1900. I m. 1887; living
1856; d. 1883. I 1900. 2nd wife,
ist wife.
b. 1807; d. 1888, m:
(108) Charles,
b. 1822; d. 1824.
I I i I I
(no) Frank, = Alice Louisa (i 10) William (no) Albert Ernest (no) Anna (no) Grace Mary,
1). 1867; living Brown, m. Lloyd, Gardner, Margaret, b. 1887 ; living 1900.
1900. 1899; living b. and d. 1871. b. 1872; living 1900. b. 1866;
1900. living 1900.
I I I I
(no) Vivian White, (no) Cyril Gardner, (no) Violet Winifred, (no) EsmI; Evelyn,
b. 1892; living 1900. b. 1893; living 1900. b. 1893; living 1900. b. 1898; living 1900.
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 131
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
H (95) William, =f=Sarah Armitstead, b. 1684;
f of Settle; d. 1751. I m. 1703; d. 1749.
(87) ISABELl
b. 1680.
(87) Agnes,
b. 1684; d. 1685.
Sarah Morris, b. 1706; m. I730;=p(98) William, of Giggleswick,=f=Deborah Wilson, b. 1722; m. 1744;
d. 1740. 1st wife. I Settle; b. i7o_5; d. 1772. d. 1781. 2nd wife.
(106) William, =j=Sarah Braithwaite, b. 1750; m. 1771; d. 1790.
of Settle; b. 1745; d. 1805.
(106) Isaac,
b. 1779 ; d. 17S
(106) FoRSTER, Benjamin Hornor,=j=(io6) Alice,
b. 1783 ; d. 1787. b. 1771 ; d. 1836. | b. 1774; m. 1805.
(108) Thomas Brougham,
b. 1826: d. 1859.
Lieut.-Col.= (io8) Anna Margaret,
Mednvanzsky. b. 1818; m. 1856; d.
1863.
{108) Frances GE0RGI^
b. 1824; d. 1858.
(114) Henry, =j=Ysabel Caroline (113) William Redmond, (114) Edward Lewis,
of Westacre, Norfolk ; | Elwes, m. 1881 ; ' b. 1856; d. 1870. of Lexham Hall, Nor.
b. 1853 ; living 1900. I living 1900.
folk; b. 1000; living
1900.
EmilyAugusta
Seymour, m.
1 89 1 ; living
1900.
II I III
(114) Henry (ii4)Gervase (i 14) Christopher (114) Gillian (114) Judith, (114) Ysabel,
Anthony, William, Robert, Mary, b. 1887; living b. 1890 ; living
b. 1885; b. 1886; b. 1889; living b. 1882; living 1900. 1900.
living 1900. living 1900. 1900. 1900.
132
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
(98) Richard,
b. ijii ; d. 1727
(no) JoHN,=j=IVIartha Gurney, b. 1751
of King's Lynn; b. 1747; d. 1808. m. 1780; d. 1822.
(100) Thomas,
b. 1749; d. 1752
I I I
lane Gurney, b. i789;^(iii) Henry, of Keswick=pE!izabeth Lucy Barclay, Joseph John Gur-=j=(ui) Jane,
in. 1820; d. 1821. I St I Old Hall, Norfolk; b. I b. 1800 ; m. ' 1823 ; d. ney, b. 1788 ; d. | b. 1789 ; m. 181 7
wife. 1787; d. 1848. 1874. 2nd wife. 1847. /|xd. 1822.
Mary Anne Hamond, m. 1849 ;=p(i 13) HENRY,=f:Etheldreda IsabelLi Browne ffolkes, ni. 187 i ; (112) John,
d. 1862. 1st wife.
of Stoke Holy
Cross, Nor-
I folk; b. 182 1;
I d. 1895.
living 1900. 2nd wife.
b. 1827
d. 1845.
■ I 1 I I II
Samuel=p(ii3) Mary (113) Alice (i 13) Katherine (113) Martin, (114) Geoffrey, (114) Mar-
(4urney ! Anne, Jane, Emily, b. 1857; b. 1873; living b. 1871;; living garet, b.
Buxton, lb. [851 ; m. b. 1854; liv- living 1900. 1900. 1900. 1877; liv-
b. 1838; 1886; living ing 1900. ing 1900.
living I 1900.
1900. ,\^
' ' ■ I \ I
(114) Oliver, (114) George, ('H) Angela Jane,
b. 1893; living 1900. b. 1894; living 1900. b. 1898; living 1900.
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 133
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
(100)
i
Richard,
(100
) James,
(100)
1
Thomas,
(100) James,
(10
1)
Deborah,
b- 175
I; d.
1771.
b.
d.
•752;
1753-
b- 1753
; d.
1759-
b. 1755; d.
1765.
b. I
756
; d. 1821.
1858; d. i8.j9.=p(ii4) WiLLiAM,=pSusan Maria Hamond, ni. 1862; living 1900.
Elizabeth Margaret Cator, m
ist wife.
] of Thorpe High
Hou.se, Norfolk ;
b. 18.32; d. 1897.
(115) William JoHN,=pRose Katherine Gurney,
of Thorpe, Norfolk, and 33 Sloane m. 1883 ; living 1900.
Gardens, London ; b. 1859 ; living 1900.
2nd wife.
(115) Susan Elizabeth Antoni
b. 1865 ; living 1900.
(115) Benedict,
b. 1886; living 1900.
I I
(115) John and Rose,
b. and d. 1888.
(115) Michael, (j
, 1889 ; living 1900. b.
15) Elizabeth,
887; living 1900,
134
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
(ii6) JoHN,=j=Sarah Wilson, b. 1727 ; m. 1748; d. 177,3.
of Settle; b. 1723 ; d.
...:j
(117) JoHN,=pMary DilKvorth, b. 175.3; m. 1779; d. 1830.
of Settle ; b. 1749; d. 18 10.
(117) DlLLWORTH,
b. and d. 1780.
jf Anley, Settle ; b.
(118) J OHN,=p Margaret Ion, b. j
1781 ; d. 1844. ™- 1815; d. 1S65.
(117) D
ILLWORTH,
[789; d. 1794.
I
(115) RoBERT,= Mary Harriet
of Kinloch-Hourn, Lubbock, m.
Inverness-shire, 1857 ; living
and 20 Berkeley 1900.
Square, London ; b.
1836 ; living t900.
I
(115) Sir EDvvARD,= Hon. Mary
of Horstead Hall, Augusta
Norfolk, and JollitJ'e, ni.
10 Charles Street, 1865; liv-
Berkeley Square; b. ing 1900.
1838 ; living 1900.
I
Henry Edmund=p( 1 12) Jane,
Gurney, b. I b. 1828 ; m. 1847
183 1 ;' living d. 1888.
1900. I
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 135
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
I I
Josiah Forster, d. ij62^(g8) Jane, (98) Sarah,
I b. 1709; m. 1734; d. 1797. b. 1721 ; d. 17;
I
(116) Joseph,
b. 1752; d. 1820.
II II
Joseph Dockrav,=p(ii7) Esther, (117) Mary, John Jowitt Nevins,=p(i 17) Hannah, (118) Sarah,
b. i78i;d. 1855. b. 1783; m. b. 178';; ' b. 1786; d. 1870. b. 1788; m. b. 1793;
I 1824; d. 1844. d. 1786. I x8io; d. 1863. d. 1794.
I I I
George von Bunsen,=p(ii2) Emma, (113) Lucy, (113) Elizabeth,
b. 1824; d. 1896. I b. 1829; ni. 1854; d. 1899. b. 1830 ; d. 1896. b. 1834; d. 1836.
136
SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
Hannah Pkimstead, b. 1758; ni. 1782 ;=p:(i 16) WiLSON',= Grizell Hoare, b. 1757; m. 1801
[791. I St wife.
of Nicholas
Lane, I,ondon ;
b. 1754; d. 1 81 2.
1.^7. 2nd wife.
(116) Robert Pi.umstead, b. 1783; d. iSoi
(119) JoHN,=pLydia Stansfeld, m. 1841 ; d. li
of Anley, Settle; b. 1817 ; d. 1890.
I III
(iiy) JoHN,=pRachel Williel- (119) Robert Stanskeld, (119) George, (119) Lydia Margaret,
Aiilry, Settle; I mina Stansfeld, b. 1846; d. 1882 (twin b. and d. 1846 b. and d. 1844.
.S42:
m. 1867; living with George).
1900.
(twin with Ro-
bert).
II II
(ng) John-, (119) Victor John, (119) Hylbert John, (119) Mary Inez,
b. 1872; li\ing 1900. b. 1873; living 1900. b. 1879; living 1900. b. 1870; living 1900.
BIRKBFXKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 13'
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
(ti6) BENjAMiN,=pJane Enghsh, b. 1758 ; m. 1784; _d. 1793.
of Allerton Bywater, near Leeds i b. 1757 ; d. 1819.
(117) Nathaniel, (h?) John English, (u/) Edward,
b. 1786; d. 18,34, unm. b. 1788; d. 1789. b. 1790; d. 1814.
(117) Jane,
b. and d. 1789.
(119) JosKPH,=j=Mary Elizabeth Macke.sy, b. 1830; m. iSj6;
of Langcliffe, Bournemouth ; b. 1830 ; d. 1897. ,
1 II I
(120) ViNCENT=^Winifred Agnes (120) John (120) William Francis J()hn = (i2o) Kdith Margaret,
Mackesy,
b. 1857 ; living
1900.
Ale.\ander, m. Lewis, Henry, Royds Bent- b. i860; in. 1886; living
1894; living b. 1859; b. 1863; living ley. 1900.
1900. d. 1881. 1900.
I I
(120) Roderick Ion Vincent, (120) Robert Alexander,
b. 1896; living 1900. b. 1898; living 1900.
(i2o) Norah ^L\Ry Winifred,
b. 1895 ; living 1900.
138 SKETCH PEDIGREE OF THE
I I I
(117) Edward, (h?) Deborah, Francis Fox, b. i765;=p(ii7) Sarah,
b. 1759; d. 1767. b. 1756; d. an inf. d. 1812. | b. 1761; m. 1799; d. 18,33.
I I I
(n8) Mary, Rev. John Stansfeld,^(ii8) Elizabeth, (hS) Sarah,
b. andd. 1816. b. 1814; d. 1880. | b. 1819 ; m. 1843 ; d. [861. b. 1821 ; d. 1829.
BIRKBECKS OF MALLERSTANG AND DESCENDANTS. 139
(The numbers refer to the pages.)
I I
Rev. William Frederick Pierson,=r(i '8) Margaret, Rev. Mathe\v=r(i i8) Sarah Mary,
b. 1821 ; d. i88?. I b. 1825; m. 1850; d. 1871. Wood, d. I b. 1834; m. i855;]iv
INDEX
INDEX.
. 23. 33. 34, 80.
Addison, Rachel S., 107.
AUvent, Ralph, 19.
Andrew, Richard, 5.
„ Thomas, 5.
Angerholme, 91.
Armitstead, Richard, 94.
Sarah, 96.
Arms, 1,2, 3,4, 5.6, 7, 13,14,20, :
„ Disclaimer of, 44.
Arthur, King, Round Table of, 65.
Assize Rolls"", 11, 67.
Atkinson, Miss, 61, 67.
Robert, 60, 61, 62.
Backhouse, John, 16.
Badcock, Rosetta Anne, 107.
Bainbridge, Anne, 19.
Balliol, Edward, 66.
Barclay, Elizabeth Lucy, 112.
Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln, 43.
Becket, Thomas il, 62.
Benson, Robert, 28.
Bentley, Edith M.. 120.
BiRKBECK, Agnes, 87.
Albert Ernest, no.
,, Alexander, of Blue Grass (d. 1582), 75,
76.
,, Alfredo Eluterio, 104.
,, Ambrose, of Great Chilton, 20.
Anna, wife of Henry, of Headlam, 4, 22,
23-
,, Anne, wife of Henry, of Blue Grass, 79.
„ Anne, wife of Richard, of Morton Tyn-
mouth, 4, 19.
Anne, wife of Thomas, of Orton, 46.
Arthur, no.
,, Arthur Damian, 105.
,, Benjamin, 1 16.
Brian, 46.
,, Bridget, wife of Edward, of Hornby, 21,
24,25.
,, Carlos Narcisso, 104.
Catherine, wife of John, of Blue Grass,
76.
,, Catterick, 27.
,, Charles, of Osgoodby, 6.
Charles (b. 1803), 106.
Charles (b. 1842), 103.
Christopher, Dr, 6.
Cuthbert, Rev., 3, 20.
Edward, of Hornby (1543). '5. 16, 17.
Edward, of Hornby (b. 1565), 2i, 22.
Edward, of Melkenthorpe, 25, 33.
Edward, son of Thomas, of Hornby, 29.
Edward, son of Catterick, 29.
Edward, of Aldborough, 6.
Edward, of Coatflat, 8.
Edward, of Orton, 44, 45.
Edward, Rev., 46.
Edward, Sir, 115.
Edward (b. 1845), 104.
Edward Lewis, 114.
Eleanor, 25.
Elizabeth, wife of Henry (1550), 15.
Elizabeth, second wife of Richard, 88, 90.
Emmeline Carr, 108.
Enrique F., 104.
Frances, 85, 87.
Frank, no.
Frederick, 103.
Geoffrey (b. 1875), n4.
Geoffrey, of Mallerstang, 81, 82, 83.
George, son of Henry, of Hornby, 19, 36.
George, of Dundalk, 48.
George, of Orton, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45.
George, of Soulby, 73, 81.
George Lucio, 105.
George, Dr., 108.
George Henry, 109.
George (b. 1857), 109.
Gervase (d. 1674), 27.
Gervase (b. 1675), 29.
Henry, son of Thomas, of Carlisle (d.
before 1550), 15.
Henry, son of Edward, of Hornby, n , 19.
Henry, Priest (d. i6n), 21, 53.
Henry, of Hornby (b. 1620), 24.
Henry, of Headlam, 22, 23, 24.
Henry, of Eamont Bridge, 56.
Henry, of Orton, 43.
Henry, of Blue Grass, 79.
Henry, of Keswick, 97, ni.
Henry, of Stoke Holy Cross, n3.
Henry, of Westacre, n4.
Henry Anthony, n4.
Henry Angel, lOS-
Henry (b. 1862), 109.
Hylbert, Sir, 3, 20.
Hylbert John, n9.
Isabel, wife of Geoffrey (d. 1670), 81 ;
her will, 82.
U 2
THE BIRKBECKS OK WESTMORLyVND.
IRKEKCK, Isabel, wife of William, of Deepgill.
Isabel, dau. of William, 87.
lames, of Orton (1614), 40.
,, James, of Mallerstang (1670), 82.
,, lames Braidwood, 109.
jane, wife of Edward (1549), 16; her
will, .7.
Jeffray, Rev., 57.
Joan, wife of Thomas, of Hornby (1610),
18, 36.
„ John, Prebendary of Lincoln (d. 1402), 6.
,, John, Vice-Chancellor Oxon 143S, 6.
John, Rev., of Great Musgrave, 56.
„ John, of Eamont Bridge, 56.
John, of Blue Grass (d. 1582), 75, 76,
,, John, grandson of John, of Blue Grass,
77, 83-
John, son of William, of Mallerstang,
85, 87, 88, 89, 90.
John (b. 1723), 116.
John (b. 1747), no.
John (b. 1749), 117.
John (b. 1781), 118.
John (b. 1817), 119.
John (b. 1827), 112.
John (b. 1842), 119.
John (b. 1872), V, 119.
„ Joseph, 119.
,, ' Katherine, dau. of John, co. York, 5.
„ Lucy, 1 13.
, Margaret, wife of Thomas, of Hornby,
26.
,, Margaret, wife of George, of Orton,
43-
Margaret, dau. of William, of Deepgill,
87.
,, Martin, 113.
,, Mary, wife of Thomas, of Morton Tyn-
mouth, 4, 20.
,, Mary, dau. of Thomas, of Hornby, 30.
,, Mary, wife of Catterick, 27.
Mary, wife of John, go.
Morris (b. 1734), 100, ioi.
,, Morris (b. 1764), loi.
Morris (b. 1799), 103.
Morris (b. 1838), 103.
,, Morris Jerome, 105.
,, Norman de, 39.
,, Peter, Rev., 4, 47.
,, Rachel Susannah, 107.
,, Richard, of Morton Tynmouth, 19.
„ Richard, son of Edward, of Hornby,
25-
Richard, of Deepgill, 82, 83, 85, 87,
88.
Richard (b. 1795), 103.
Robert, 115.
Robert Epifanio, 105.
Robert Stansfeld, v, 80, no.
Roger, 81.
Rosetta Anne, 107.
Ruth, 89.
Samuel, Rev., 47.
Samuel Bradford (b. 1802), 104.
Samuel Bradford (b. 1852), 105.
Sarah, wife of William, of Settle, 96.
Simon, Rev., 24.
BiRKBECK. Stephen, of Mallerstang, temp. Henry
VI 11., 68, 76.
,, Thomas, of Carlisle (1515), v, i, 13, 14,
15-
Thomas, of Ripley (15S4), 11.
,, Thomas, of Hornby (d. 1608), 17, 18,
21, 23, 35.
Thomas, of Hornby (1665), 25, 26, 27.
Thomas, son of Thomas, of Hornby,
30-
,, Thomas, of Morton Tynmouth, 4, 19.
Thomas, of Orton, 4, 40, 43, 44, 46, 47.
Thomas, Rev., 4, 46.
Thomas (b. 1S08), 107.
Thomas Brougham (b. 1S26), loS.
,, Thomas Brougham (b. i860), 109.
,, Victor John, 1 19.
,, Vincent M., 120.
WiUiam, Rev., Vicar of Orton (1455),
40.
William, of Mallerstang, temp. Henry
VIIL, 68,76.
WiUiam, Priest (1581), 53.
William, of Gray's Inn (1577), 56, 78.
William, of Blue Grass (1604), 75, 77.
,, William, Fellow of St. John's, 2, 79.
William, of Deepgill (1663—1698), 69,
82, 83, 84, S5.
William, of Settle (1679—1751), 85, 87,
95, 96, 97.
William, of Settle (1705, 1772), 98.
Wilham, of Settle (b. 1745), 106.
William, of Settle (b. 1772), 106.
,, William, of Thorpe, 114.
William Henry, 120.
,, William John, 1 15.
William Lloyd, 80, 109.
Wilhelmusde (1318), 10.
Wilson, 116.
Mr., ringleader of deerstealers (1677),
1 1.
Birkbeckand Blakes, loi.
Birkbeck, Clergy and Priests, 51, 52.
,, Derivation of name, 9.
Birkbeck entries in Orton Register, 40.
Birkbeck Fells, 8.
Birkbecks, Homes of the, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52.
Birkbeck Lordship, 8.
Birkbecks in Mallerstang, 67.
Birkbeck Matches, 34.
Birkbeck, Migrations of, 48.
Birkbeck River, 8.
Birkbeck, Spelling of name. 9.
Birkdale, Henry, 75.
Blenkarn, H., 75.
Blue Grass, 60, 61, 62, 75, 76, 79, 80.
Bochardbv, Manor of, 14.
Bodleian, 'MS. in, 14.
Brackenbury, Henry, of Sellaby, 22.
Bradford, Hannah, loi.
Brampton, 14, 17, 34.
Brougham Church, 32.
Brougham, John (1550), 15.
Bunsen, Emma von, 112.
Burn, Dr., 71.
Burton, Dr., 97.
Bush, Prudence, 102.
Buxton, M. A., 1 13.
INDEX.
H5
Calvert of Cockerham, 21, 35.
Cardinals, Robbery of, 10.
Carleton, 29.
Carr, Anne, 107.
Carr-Birkbeck, Lawrence Henry, loS.
Caryll, John, of Ladyhole, 30.
Catholics, 21, 30.
Cator, E. M., 114.
Catterick, John, 26, 35.
Clergy, 51,52.
Clifford Arms, 34.
Clifford Match, 34, 35.
Clifford, de, 62.
„ Lord, 77.
Robert de, 66.
,, Roger de, 66.
,, Sir Thomas, 14.
Close, Bishop of Carlisle and Lichfield,
Coatflat Hall, 39, 41, 44, 45.
Cornforth, John, of Blackwell, 22.
Crests, 2, 5, 7.
Cullen, Viscount, 27, 28.
Cumberland, Francis, Earl of, 62,77, ^'
George, Earl of, 18, 62,7!
„ Henry, Earl of, 17, 27.
Curfew at Kirkby Stephen, 73.
Dacre, Lord, 14.
Dale, John, 23.
Dalston, Thomas, 30, 32.
Darby, Richard, 62.
D'Arcy, M. C. E. T., loi, 105.
Deepgill, 68, 69, 70, 75, 76.
Deer killing, 11, 19, 59.
Denton de Cardew, 34.
Dewsbury, William, 98.
DilUvorth, Mary, 117.
Dixon, Anthony, 58.
Doomsday Book, 9.
Draper, Henry, 24.
Duffield, Annie C, 104.
,, Edith Marion, 103.
Dugdale's Visitation of Westmorland, 2, 25, 33,
Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, 3, 47.
Dwnn's " Visitation of Wales," 3.
Eamont Bridge, Birkbecks at, 55, 76, 79.
Engelland, Bertha, 103.
Fawcett, Miss, 69, 83.
Fell, John, 99.
,, Sarah, go.
Fetherstonehaugh, Rev. Hugh, 42.
ffolkes, E. L B.; 113.
Fleming, Sir D., 61.
Foray in Scotland (1543), 16.
Forcet, 24.
Forster, Jane, 98.
„ Josiah, 98.
„ Right Hon. W. E.
Fothergill, Christopher, 7?
„ Gabriel, 75.
Henry, 75.
,, Rev. Geo., 42.
Fothergills at Deepgill, 69.
Fox, George, 61, 93, 94.
„ Mrs. Charles, 99.
„ Sarah, 119.
Gardner, Anna Margaret,
108.
Ghost Story, 99.
GiUing, 24
Gillow, Jos
•, 53. 54-
Glass, stair
ed, at Headlati
1, 23
35-
„ Hornby
33-
Gough, Robert, 106.
Graduates
at Universities
55-
Gray's Inn
55-
Grimshaw,
Capt., 70, 78,81.
Gurney, B.
rtlett, no.
„ Ja
ne, wife of Jos.
John
III.
:: l:
ne, dau. of Jose'ph,
ne, wife of Hv. Edm
12.
und, I
„ Martha, no.
H
Hall, Sarah, 10.
Hamond, M. A., 113.
S. M., 115.
Hanks, Prudence, 102.
Harclay, Sir Michael de, 8.
Harris, Catherine, 104.
,, Mary, 104.
Hart-horn-tree, 31.
Haswell, Dr., 32.
Headlam, 4, 22.
Stained glass at, 23, 25.
Hellebek, Sir Thomas de, 39.
Hellgill, 68.
Hercia, Andrew de, 10.
Hett, J. H., owner of Headlam, 23.
Higginson, Rev. Francis, 71.
Highmore, Elizabeth, 14.
Hodgkin, Thomas, 94.
Holden, Mr., former owner of Headlam, 23.
Hornby, Birkbecks at, 13.
Hornby Hall, 17, 18, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35,36,
37-
Hornby Hall, coloured glass at, 33.
Hothfield, Lord, 62.
Howgill Castle, muster at (1559), 16.
Hutton, Anne, 22.
Ion, Margaret, 1 1
Ireland, Dan., 88
146
THE BIRKBECKS OF WESTMORLAND.
Jackson, Margaret Jane,
James I., 63, 64.
JoUiffe, Hon. M. A., 1 16
Julian of the Bower, 66.
,60.
Kaber Rigg Pic
Kay, Anne, 46.
Keswick Old Hall, iii.
Kirkby Stephen, a nest of traitors, 72.
Kirkby Stephen Church, 70, 71, 72.
Kirkby Stephen Registers, 72, 73, 95.
Kirkby Thore, 14.
Labourne, Arms of, 35.
Lamphey, .20.
Lancaster, Ambrose, of Sockbridge, 17.
Cristabel de (1528), 14.
Earl of (1318), 10.
„ Jane, 16.
Thomas, 14, 16.
Lancaster of Brampton, 35.
Lancaster of Sockbridge, 13, 35.
Lawson, John, of St. Anthony, 21.
Lloyd, Catherine, loS.
Lubbock, Mary Harriet, 115.
Lune, River, 8.
Lynn Bank, in.
M
Machell, Rev. Thomas, 2, 3, 9, 34, 80.
Wackesy, Mary E., iig.
Mallerstang, 54, 55, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66,
67,68, 69, 70, 71, 75.
Mallerstang Chapel, 67.
Mallerstang Tenants, 63, 64.
Marriages during the Commonwealth, 72.
Mednyanzsky, Anna Margaret, 108.
Metcalfe, James, 8g.
Middleton, Ninian, 32.
Milner, Margaret, 85, 87.
Monks, 52, 53, 54.
Morville, Sir Hugh de, 62.
Mottoes, 7.
Musgrave, Great, 57, 76.
New Albion, U.S.A.,
New Garden, U.S.A.,
Ninian, St., 32.
Norwich Bank, no, :
Old Style, vi.
Orton, 38.
Orton Advowson and Rectory,
Orton Birkbecks, 38.
Orton Boundary Roll, 8.
Orton Church Chest, 41, 43.
Orton Hall, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46.
Orton Manor, 39.
Orton Petty Hall, 45.
Orton Register, 40, 41.
Orton Wills, 43.
Osgoodby, 6.
Outhgill, 64.
Pedigr
RKBtxKS OF Hornby, 26.
RKEECKS OF SHEFFIELD, 47.
Peirson, R., of Bishops Medlam, 27.
Pell, Eliza, 102.
Pembroke, Anne, Counters of, 26, 27, 60, 61, 63, 64,
66, 67.
Penal Laws, 30.
Pendratjon Castle, 65, 66, 67.
Penrith, Birkbecks at, 55.
Petty, Christopher and Elizabeth, 46.
Philipson, Miles, 46.
Pierson, Margaret, 118.
Plague at Orton, 40.
Plague at Penrith. 58.
Poole, George, of Wakebridge, 25, 35.
Priests. 52, 53. 54-
Proctor, Thomas, i.
Pulleine, Thomas, 28.
Quakers, vi, 61, 71, 72, 93, 94.
R
Ravenstonedale, 94.
Record Office, i T.
Roman Catholics, 94.
Salkeld de Rosgill, 34.
Sandford of Howgill, 34.
Sandforth, muster at, 3S.
Sedbergh, 94.
Settle, Birkbecks of, 93.
„ House at, 97.
,, MSS. at, 89.
Settle Bank, 97, no.
Settle Meeting, 96.
Shaw, Isabell, 85, 86.
Shellet, Roger, 56.
Shoregill, 81, 84.
Similarity of Christian nair
Skaif, Barnaby, 75.
Southwaite, 75.
Spelling of Birkbeck, 9.
Stansfeld, Elizabeth, n8.
„ George, 107.
Rachel W., 119.
St. Mary-at-Hill, 91.
Statesmen, 60.
55, 56-
INDEX.
[47
Sycamores, 6S.
Sycamore Trees, The, 70.
Symson, Elizabeth (1550), 17.
„ Sir Christopher, 57.
Talebois, Ivo de, 13.
" Thesaurus Litaniarum,' 54.
Tithes, 97.
Todd, Agnes, 87.
Torbock, Mr. Joseph, 64, 84, 91
Valdes, Damiana, 104.
Veteripont, William de, 62.
Wabash, River, 102.
Wakefield, E. T., 107.
Wanborou2h, lOi.
Westmorland, Gentlemen of (1543), 15.
Wharton de Kirkby Thore, arms of, 34.
Whart
™ Dykes, 79.
Whart
5n, Gilbert, of Kirkby Tho
Humphrey, 24.
Jno., 24.
Michael, 80.
Philip, Lord. 78.
Sir Thomas, 15.
Thomas, Lord, 68, 71.
„
Thomas, 46, 47-
Whelpdale, Jane, 19.
Whinfield Park, 64.
White,
I. E., no.
L. H.. loQ.
Whitehead, George, 42, 93.
Widdn
ngton, Lord, 25.
Wild B
oar, the last, 72.
Wild Boar Fell, 68.
Willan
George, 89.
Richard, 89.
Wilson
, Deborah, 100.
Sarah, 116.
Wood,
Ann, 103.
S. M., iiS.
Woolle
n. Burial in, 90.
2250
* it*' 'i' Mi